Abstract
Figure I represents schematically the different regions of the spectrum of electromagnetic waves, corresponding to the different regions of wavelength λ and frequency ν. These two quantities are related by
where c=velocity of light in vacuum=2.999 × 108m/s. Electromagnetic waves carry energy, which may be absorbed by matter, producing different effects. This absorption can occur only in multiples of a quantum of energy, proportional to the frequency of the radiaiton; thus for radiation of frequency ν, the value of the quantum is:
where h=6.6 × 10-34J.s is the Plank constant. A quantum of radiant energy is also called a photon
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© 1980 D. Reidel Publishing Company
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Iribarne, J.V., Cho, HR. (1980). Radiation. In: Atmospheric Physics. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-8952-8_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-8952-8_3
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
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