How To Convert Nanometers To Joules
Nanometers measure the length of very small magnitudes, such as wavelengths. A joule, abbreviated as J, is a unit of energy in the metric system. The conversion between nanometers and joules is important in physics because scientists often need to calculate the energy of electromagnetic radiation from the wavelength. To do this, you apply the following formula derived from Planck's equation:
\(E=\frac{hc}{\lambda}\)
1. Identify Planck Constant Value
Retrieve the Planck constant value: h = 6.626 069 57 x10-34 J s.
2. Use Speed of Light Constant
Get the speed of light constant: c = 299,792,458 m/s.
3. Multiply Planck by Speed of Light
Multiply the Planck constant by the speed of light. Work out:
\(hc=6.62606957 \times 10^{-34}\times 299,792,458 = 1.98645 \times 10^{-25}\text{ Jm}\)
4. Calculate Wavelength in Meters
Divide the wavelength in nanometers by 109 to calculate the value in meters. For example, the wavelength of 500 nm corresponds to:
\(\frac{500}{10^9}=5\times 10^{-7}\text{ m}\)
5. Divide Product of Constants by Wavelength
Divide the product of the constants by the wavelength in meters to calculate the energy in Joules. In this example, the energy is:
\(E=\frac{1.98645\times 10^{-25}}{5\times 10^{-7}}=3.973\times 10^{-19}\text{ J}\)
Cite This Article
MLA
Fox, Oxana. "How To Convert Nanometers To Joules" sciencing.com, https://www.sciencing.com/convert-nanometers-joules-10015998/. 13 December 2020.
APA
Fox, Oxana. (2020, December 13). How To Convert Nanometers To Joules. sciencing.com. Retrieved from https://www.sciencing.com/convert-nanometers-joules-10015998/
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Fox, Oxana. How To Convert Nanometers To Joules last modified March 24, 2022. https://www.sciencing.com/convert-nanometers-joules-10015998/