Re: E=hv Question

[Chris Clayton <misterc@uiuc.edu>]

At 02:27 PM 10/11/96 -0400, George Spagna wrote:
> At 01:29 PM 10/11/96 -0400, Tony Wayne wrote:
> > Given E=hv, when I increase the frequency I get more energy. What happens
> > if I increase the amplitude of the E&M waves? What does this affect?
>
> The number of photons.  Intensity is proportional to the square of the field
> in classical e-m waves.  Intensity is proportional to the number flux of
> photons when you're counting photons.

        If I read this right, then the *intensity* is quantized, not the
*energy*.  I know that energy _levels_ are quantized in atoms.  It just
strikes me because whenever these topics came up in my chemistry classes the
equation E=hv is referred to (or butchered as) the quantization of energy
and from the equation that is not at all obvious (and probably wrong).

Chris

-- Chris Clayton  
(first year physical science teacher)
Mt. Zion Senior High School
305 S Henderson
Mt. Zion, IL 62549

email: misterc@uiuc.edu
	(currently forwarding to: clayton@webmart.net)
MSN Chemistry Forum Assistant
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