Planck's quantum theory equation, also known as Planck's law, describes the energy distribution of electromagnetic radiation emitted by a black body. It is given by the expression:
E = hν,
where E represents the energy of a single quantum of radiation, ν represents the frequency of the radiation, and h is Planck's constant.
In this equation, Planck's constant, denoted by h, is a fundamental constant of nature. Its value is approximately 6.62607015 × 10^(-34) joule-seconds (J·s).
Planck's equation was proposed by Max Planck in 1900 as a solution to the problem of black-body radiation. It was a revolutionary idea that laid the foundation for the development of quantum mechanics. Planck introduced the concept of quantization, suggesting that energy can only be emitted or absorbed by atoms in discrete amounts, called quanta.
According to Planck's theory, electromagnetic radiation is quantized into discrete packets of energy, each carrying an amount of energy directly proportional to its frequency. The energy of a single quantum, E, is equal to the product of Planck's constant, h, and the frequency of the radiation, ν.
This equation provides a fundamental relationship between the energy and frequency of electromagnetic radiation. It implies that energy is not continuous but exists in discrete units determined by the frequency of the radiation. Planck's quantum theory and the equation E = hν were instrumental in understanding phenomena such as the photoelectric effect and paved the way for the development of quantum mechanics, which describes the behavior of particles at the microscopic level.