That is, Plancks Constant as defined per a physicist definition:
Originally posted by Eric
The energy E contained in a photon, which represents the smallest possible 'packet' of energy in an electromagnetic wave, is directly proportional to the frequency f according to the following equation:
E = hf
If E is given in joules and f is given in hertz (the unit measure of frequency), then:
E = (6.626176 x 10-34) f
and conversely:
f = E / (6.626176 x 10-34)
in other words it's the smallest amount of unit energy. Now I'll be the first to say I don't like the use of term 'particle' it implies a physical 'chunk' of matter, nothing could be further from the truth. in reality it's a field of energy, in this case the planck is the smallest 'field' unit of energy. the photoelectric effect can be used to measure this.
orbitals are energy levels not physical orbits, a lot of the early terms we are stuck with, it was the natural progression from 'mechanics' but it also trips up a lot of people and esp the laymen as it conjures up images of planets etc.. also didn't help that many diagrams also utilize such things too.
it also has many uses in optical communications via the photoelectric effect and the ability to measure and control the energy levels with photons.
I'll ask this, if you don't like Planck's constant, what of the photon?



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