Question

Compared to a photon of red light with a wavelength of approximately 740 nm, a photon of blue light with a wavelength of approximately 460 nm has a _________.

A) higher frequency and higher energy.
B) lower frequency and higher energy.
C) higher frequency and lower energy.
D) lower frequency and lower energy.

Answer 1

A photon of blue light with a wavelength of approximately 460 nm has a higher frequency and higher energy than a photon of red light with a wavelength of approximately 740 nm, due to the inversely proportional relationship between wavelength and frequency.

Step-by-step explanation:

Compared to a photon of red light with a wavelength of approximately 740 nm, a photon of blue light with a wavelength of approximately 460 nm has a higher frequency and higher energy. This is due to the inversely proportional relationship between wavelength and frequency, as described by the equation c = λf, where c is the speed of light, λ is the wavelength, and f is the frequency. Shorter wavelengths correspond to higher frequencies and, according to Planck's equation E = hf, where h is Planck's constant and f is the frequency, higher frequencies also correspond to higher energies.

In the context of the visible spectrum, violet light (with wavelengths shorter than blue light) has a higher frequency and higher energy than red light. Infrared radiation has lower frequencies than red light, while ultraviolet radiation has shorter wavelengths than violet light.