Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Electromagnetic energy is a form of energy that can be reflected or emitted from objects in the form of electrical and magnetic waves that can travel through space.
A photon is a particle representing a quantum of light or other electromagnetic radiation. It carries energy proportional to the radiation frequency but has zero rest mass.
Frequency is the number of complete wave cycles per second, measured in hertz (Hz). In terms of electromagnetic energy, it determines color for visible light and energy level for photons.