Physics

Physics

Problem

A light source has power 60 W and emits photons of wavelength 550 nm. How many photons per second are emitted?
Intuitive explanation

The key is connecting energy and photon count through Planck's relation. Each photon carries energy E=hfE = hf, where frequency relates to wavelength via c=λfc = \lambda f. Since power is energy per unit time, you can find how many photons are needed each second to deliver 60 joules—just divide the total power by the energy per photon.

Intuitive explanation

The key is connecting energy and photon count through Planck's relation. Each photon carries energy E=hfE = hf, where frequency relates to wavelength via c=λfc = \lambda f. Since power is energy per unit time, you can find how many photons are needed each second to deliver 60 joules—just divide the total power by the energy per photon.

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