The wavelength of orange light is about 590-635 nm and the wavelength of green light is about 520-560 nm. Which color of light is more energetic: orange or green? A. Orange light because of longer wavelength and lesser energy. B. Orange light because of shorter wavelength and higher energy. C. Green light because of shorter wavelength and higher energy. D. Green light because of longer wavelength and higher energy.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is C. Green light because of shorter wavelength and higher energy.
Here’s why:
The energy of light is inversely proportional to its wavelength. This relationship is given by the formula:E=h⋅cλE = \frac{h \cdot c}{\lambda}E=λh⋅c
Where:
- EEE is the energy of the light,
- hhh is Planck’s constant (6.626×10−34 J\cdotps6.626 \times 10^{-34} \, \text{J·s}6.626×10−34J\cdotps),
- ccc is the speed of light (3.00×108 m/s3.00 \times 10^8 \, \text{m/s}3.00×108m/s),
- λ\lambdaλ is the wavelength of the light.
From the formula, you can see that as the wavelength (λ\lambdaλ) decreases, the energy (EEE) increases.
- Green light has a wavelength in the range of 520-560 nm.
- Orange light has a wavelength in the range of 590-635 nm.
Since green light has a shorter wavelength than orange light, it carries more energy. The shorter the wavelength, the higher the frequency and energy of the light.
To summarize:
- Green light has a shorter wavelength compared to orange light, and as a result, it has higher energy.
- Orange light has a longer wavelength, which means it has lower energy compared to green light.
Thus, the answer is C, and green light is more energetic due to its shorter wavelength.
