Photon
Visible light, radio waves, X-rays, and gamma rays can all be described in terms of photons. This topic is part of Particle Physics within Science & Nature. This page currently draws on 15 supporting questions, with answers and bonus facts available below.
Photon trivia questions
What is a photon?
Answer: A quantum of electromagnetic radiation
Bonus fact: Visible light, radio waves, X-rays, and gamma rays can all be described in terms of photons.
Which statement correctly describes the electric charge of a photon?
Answer: A photon has no electric charge
Bonus fact: Photons have no rest mass and carry electromagnetic energy and momentum.
In a vacuum, at what speed do photons travel?
Answer: The speed of light
Bonus fact: All photons travel at c in vacuum, about 299,792 kilometers per second.
What semiconductor process causes an LED to emit photons?
Answer: Electron-hole recombination
Bonus fact: Charge carriers recombine across the junction and release energy as light.
What electric charge does a photon carry?
Answer: Zero
Bonus fact: Photons have no electric charge and no rest mass, yet they carry electromagnetic energy.
What nuclear process can emit gamma rays?
Answer: Radioactive decay
Bonus fact: Excited atomic nuclei can release energy as gamma photons.
Gamma radiation is a form of what?
Answer: Electromagnetic radiation
Bonus fact: Gamma rays are high-energy photons.
Gamma radiation has what electric charge?
Answer: None
Bonus fact: Photons are electrically neutral.
Gamma rays are produced in processes involving what?
Answer: Atomic nuclei
Bonus fact: Radioactive decay and nuclear reactions can emit gamma photons.
Which fundamental force causes objects with opposite electric charges to attract each other?
Answer: Electromagnetic force
Bonus fact: The electromagnetic force is carried by photons.
Which particle is a boson?
Answer: Photon
Bonus fact: Bosons include force-carrying particles such as photons and gluons.
Which particle carries the electromagnetic interaction in QED?
Answer: Photon
Bonus fact: Photons are exchanged in the theory's description of electromagnetic interactions.