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Chemistry Forums for Students => Undergraduate General Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: luketapis on March 26, 2012, 06:34:22 PM

Title: How many photons of blue (470nm) light are emitted in 1 second?
Post by: luketapis on March 26, 2012, 06:34:22 PM
I have to do this excercis:

A desk lamp produces 5.0J of energy per second (5.0W) in the form of blue light of wavelength 470nm. How many photons of blue (470nm) light are emitted in 1 second?


Are there any equasion for number of photons  emitted per second?
Title: Re: How many photons of blue (470nm) light are emitted in 1 second?
Post by: JustinCh3m on March 26, 2012, 07:33:47 PM
well, using E = hv  (v is actually "nu" = frequency), you can solve for frequency.  Frequency is in Hz which is a cycle/sec (or sec^-1).

Hopefully this puts you on the right track
Title: Re: How many photons of blue (470nm) light are emitted in 1 second?
Post by: luketapis on March 26, 2012, 08:08:00 PM
"well, using E = hv  (v is actually "nu" = frequency), you can solve for frequency.  Frequency is in Hz which is a cycle/sec (or sec^-1).
Ok so:

V=E/h
V= 5/6.626 x 10^-34 = 7.5460 x 10^33 s^-1

But it doesn't help me at all :(
Title: Re: How many photons of blue (470nm) light are emitted in 1 second?
Post by: blaisem on March 26, 2012, 09:57:00 PM
In your equation you used E=5 Joules.  Are you sure each photon emitted has an energy of 5 Joules?  A photon at a certain wavelength will only have one energy, and, as a hint, it is not 5 joules.  For a photon of light, a statement about its wavelength or frequency is a statement about its energy.  Wavelength, frequency and energy of a photon are all interrelated via E=hf.
Title: Re: How many photons of blue (470nm) light are emitted in 1 second?
Post by: luketapis on March 27, 2012, 11:07:06 AM
"Wavelength, frequency and energy of a photon are all interrelated via E=hf"
what is f hear?
Title: Re: How many photons of blue (470nm) light are emitted in 1 second?
Post by: sjb on March 27, 2012, 12:04:03 PM
"Wavelength, frequency and energy of a photon are all interrelated via E=hf"
what is f hear?

f is the frequency (the same as nu)...