PHOTON THEORY OF

LIGHT
P 175
SPEED OF LIGHT
• GALILEO GALILEI • OLE ROEMER
ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM
• ELECTRO MAGNETIC SPECTRUM DESCRIBES ALL THE
WAVELENGTHS OF LIGHT. FROM DARK NEBULAE TO
EXPLODING STARS, IT REVEALS AN OTHERWISE
INVISIBLE UNIVERSE. (Crocket 2017)
• ALL EM WAVES TRAVELS IN A VACUUM AT A
CONSTANT SPEED OF 3X108 M/S. THE REGIONS OF
THE EM SPECTRUM ARE ARRANGED ACCORDING TO
DECREASING WAVELENTHS AND INCREASING
FREQUENCIES.

• THE WAVELENGTH OF LIGHT IS INVERSELY

PROPORTIONAL TO ITS FREQUENCY, MEASURED IN
HERTZ.
The wavelength
𝜆 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑛𝑚 𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙
(𝛼) to its frequency (f), measured in Hertz (Hz).
1
𝜆𝛼
𝑓
𝑘
𝜆=
𝑓
𝜆𝑓 = 𝑘
Using dimensional analysis
1
• [meter] =κ
2
• The constant k in the equation has the unit meter per second (m/s), and is always
equal to 3 x 108 m/s, the speed of light in a vacuum (c) which is directly
proportional to the frequency and wavelength.
• 𝒸 = 𝜆𝑓
• If light passes through a different medium, the speed of light (s) in a medium is
directly proportional to the frequency and wavelength.
• 𝑣 = 𝜆𝑓
Apply these relationships in problem solving.
• What is the frequency of green light with a wavelength of 530nm?
𝑁𝑜𝑡𝑒: 1ൗ𝑠 = 1𝐻𝑧
• Solution: Given 𝜆 = 530𝑛𝑚 = 5.30 𝑥 10−7 𝑚
𝑐 = 3 𝑥 108 𝑚/𝑠
• To derive the equation for frequency f
𝑐 = 𝜆𝑓
𝑐
𝑓=
𝜆
3 𝑥 108 𝑚/𝑠
=
5.30 𝑥 10−7 𝑚
= 5.66 𝑥 1014 𝐻𝑧
LIGHT AS A PARTICLE
• WHEN ISAAC NEWTON WAS PERFORMING AN EXPERIMENT
ON THE COLORS OF LIGHT, HE NOTICED THAT LIGHT CASTED
SHARP SHADOWS. SO, HE THOUGHT OF LIGHT AS
SOMETHING LIKE MATTER. THEN HE FORMULATED THE
PARTICLE THEORY OF LIGHT WHICH STATED THAT VISIBLE
LIGHT IS COMPOSED OF SUBMICROSCOPIC PARTICLES
CALLED PHOTONS. PHOTONS ARE ELEMENTARY PARICLES
OF LIGHT THAT HAVE PROPERTIES OF A WAVE, THESE CARRY
ENERGY THAT CAN BE TRANSFERRED TO OTHER PARTICLES
DURING INTERACTIONS.
PROPERTIES OF PHOTONS
• 1. THEY MOVE AT CONSTANT SPEED OF 3X108 m/s IN A
VACUUM.
• 2. THEY ARE MASSLESS.
• 3. THEY CARRY ENERGY AND MOMENTUM.
• 4. THEY HAVE NO CHARGE LIKE A NEUTRON.
• The particle theory of Newton cannot explain light
interference or the interaction of correlated or coherent
waves which are of the same frequencies or of different
frequencies.

• To demonstrate interference, you can try this: Get two

light sources of the same color. Point them on a white
wall and let them overlap. What do you see? Now, get
another light source of different color and do the same.
What do you observe?
• When the two light sources of the same color overlapped, light
became more intense or brighter. But, when another light source
of different color overlapped with the two light sources of the
same color, a new color was produced.
• Since there are points that Newton’s particle theory cannot
explain, it became weak until Albert Eintein (1879-1955) came
into the picture and revived the theory. Einstein introduced the
photoelectric effect, which gave him a Nobel Prize. According to
Einstein, electrons are emitted from a metallic surface when
subjected to an incident light consisting of photons. This occurs
after the electrons absorb the energy that the incident light
contains. After some calculations, Einstein proposed this
mathematical equation:
•𝐸 = 𝑓𝑓

• Where E is the energy of each photon, h is the Planck’s

constant (6.63 x 10-34 Joule.second), and f is the
frequency. Thus, a photon’s energy us directly
proportional to its frequency.
 𝑐
Since the speed of light is 𝑐 = 𝜆𝑓, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑓 =
𝜆

Substitute this to
ℎ𝑐
𝐸=
𝜆
THE ATOMIC SPECTRUM
• The atomic spectrum is the spectrum of frequencies of
electromagnetic radiation emitted or absorb during the
transition of electrons between energy levels within an atom.
Electrons that have absorb energy jump to higher energy level
and are said to be in an excited state. However, they will not
remain in an excited state. Eventually, they will return to their
original energy level and emit light of a particle wavelength and
frequency. Emitted light of a particular frequency is perceived by
the eye as color. Each element emits a particular light when its
electron is energized. The atomic spectrum can also be used to
determine the wavelength emitted by an electron and identify
the elements present in a substance.