Question

Imagine two photons (packets of electromagnetic radiation). Lets call them Photon A and Photon B. The wavelength associated with Photon A is twice as large as Photon B. Which of the following is true?
a. Photon B carries twice as much energy as Photon A.
b. Photon A carries twice as much energy as Photon B.
c. Photon A and Photon B cary the same amount of energy.
d. It is impossible to know which contains more energy.

Answer 1

Answer:

The true statement is:

d. It is impossible to know which contains more energy.

Explanation:

In this scenario, the frequencies of Photon A and Photon B were not given.  This makes it impossible to know which photon contains more energy than the other.  Note that the amount of energy is directly proportional to the photon's electromagnetic frequency but inversely proportional to the wavelength.  A description of the associated wavelengths was offered, but this description is not enough to help determine the energy of each photon.  In conclusion, the photon's frequency determines its energy level just as the wavelength reduces its energy.