Which electromagnetic wave carries the most energy?

Unlock all questions

This demo includes only 20 questions. Upgrade to access hundreds of questions, flashcards, exam simulations, and disable ads.

Full question bankExam simulationsFlashcards
From $24.99Unlock all

Prepare for the GEARS End-of-Year Exam. Dive into flashcards and multiple choice questions with detailed hints and explanations. Ace your test!

Multiple Choice

Which electromagnetic wave carries the most energy?

Explanation:
Energy of electromagnetic waves scales with frequency: higher frequency means higher energy per photon. This comes from E = hf, where h is Planck’s constant and f is frequency. Gamma rays have the highest frequency (and the shortest wavelength) among the options, so each photon carries more energy than a photon of X-ray, ultraviolet, or radio wave. Therefore gamma rays carry the most energy. The other types have lower frequencies, so their photons have less energy per photon, even though the beam’s total energy can vary with intensity.

Energy of electromagnetic waves scales with frequency: higher frequency means higher energy per photon. This comes from E = hf, where h is Planck’s constant and f is frequency. Gamma rays have the highest frequency (and the shortest wavelength) among the options, so each photon carries more energy than a photon of X-ray, ultraviolet, or radio wave. Therefore gamma rays carry the most energy. The other types have lower frequencies, so their photons have less energy per photon, even though the beam’s total energy can vary with intensity.

More Multiple Choice Questions
Subscribe

Get the latest from Passetra

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy