Calculate the mass of a photon with wavelength 3.6 Angestrom

To calculate the mass of a photon, we first need to understand that photons have zero rest mass. However, they do have relativistic mass, which is derived from their energy. 

The energy \( E \) of a photon is related to its wavelength \( \lambda \) by the equation:

\[
E = \frac{hc}{\lambda}
\]

Where:
- \( h \) is Planck's constant: \( h = 6.626 \times 10^{-34} \ \text{J·s} \)
- \( c \) is the speed of light: \( c = 3.0 \times 10^8 \ \text{m/s} \)
- \( \lambda \) is the wavelength of the photon in meters (convert \( 3.6 \ \text{Å} \) to meters: \( 1 \ \text{Å} = 10^{-10} \ \text{m} \))

After calculating the energy, we can relate the relativistic mass \( m \) of the photon to its energy by Einstein's equation:

\[
E = mc^2
\]

From this, we can solve for the relativistic mass \( m \) as:

\[
m = \frac{E}{c^2}
\]

Let's calculate the photon’s mass.The relativistic mass of a photon with a wavelength of 3.6 Ångström is approximately \( 6.14 \times 10^{-33} \) kilograms.

Would you like more details or have any questions?

Here are 5 related questions to explore further:
1. How does a photon's wavelength relate to its energy?
2. What is the rest mass of a photon and why is it zero?
3. How is relativistic mass different from rest mass?
4. How would increasing the wavelength affect the mass of the photon?
5. What is the significance of Planck's constant in quantum mechanics?

**Tip:** The shorter the wavelength of a photon, the higher its energy and thus its relativistic mass.

Calculate the mass of a photon with wavelength 3.6 Ångström

Discover how to calculate the relativistic mass of a photon with a wavelength of 3.6 Ångström. This solution covers key quantum mechanics concepts, such as photon energy, Planck's constant, and Einstein's mass-energy equivalence. Ideal for Grades 11-12 and college students.

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