Photons
Photons
Photons (/ˈfoʊtɒnz/; from the Ancient Greek: φῶς, romanized: phôs, lit. 'light') are elementary particles, the quantum of all forms of electromagnetic radiation, including light. They are force carriers for the electromagnetic force, one of the four fundamental forces of nature.
Etymology
The term "photon" was coined by chemist Gilbert N. Lewis in 1926. It is derived from the Greek word "φῶς" (phôs), meaning "light".
Properties
Photons are massless, and they always move at the speed of light in a vacuum, commonly denoted c. They are electrically neutral and are one of the rare particles that are identical to their antiparticle, the antiphoton.
Interactions
Photons are involved in many types of interactions, including electromagnetic radiation, photoelectric effect, and pair production.
Related Terms
- Electromagnetic spectrum: The range of all possible frequencies of electromagnetic radiation, of which visible light is a part.
- Quantum mechanics: The branch of physics dealing with the behavior of particles on a very small scale, such as photons.
- Wave-particle duality: The concept in quantum mechanics that every particle or quantum entity can be described as both a particle and a wave.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Photons
- Wikipedia's article - Photons
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