The relationship between frequency, wavelength, and energy of electromagnetic radiation is governed by the equation:
c = λν
where:
- c is the speed of light in a vacuum (approximately 3 x 10^8 meters per second),
- λ (lambda) is the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation in meters,
- ν (nu) is the frequency of the electromagnetic radiation in hertz (Hz).
This equation shows that the speed of light is constant, so as the wavelength increases, the frequency decreases, and vice versa. In other words, there is an inverse relationship between wavelength and frequency.
Now, regarding the energy of electromagnetic radiation, it is related to its frequency by the equation:
E = hν
where:
- E is the energy of a photon of electromagnetic radiation in joules,
- h is Planck's constant (approximately 6.626 x 10^-34 joule-seconds),
- ν (nu) is the frequency of the electromagnetic radiation in hertz (Hz).
According to this equation, the energy of a photon is directly proportional to its frequency. This means that as the frequency increases, the energy of the electromagnetic radiation also increases. Conversely, as the frequency decreases, the energy decreases.
To summarize:
- Frequency and wavelength have an inverse relationship: as wavelength increases, frequency decreases, and vice versa.
- Energy and frequency have a direct relationship: as frequency increases, energy increases, and vice versa.