Energy: Gamma Ray vs. Radio Wave

[marcut]

I know Gamma ray has more energy, but I'm not sure why. Can someone explain it to me? I need to know this for a test on Tuesday.

[Klaynos]

It's todo with photons and wavelengths/frequencies.

 

We define gamma rays as having a certain frequency range, and radio waves in the same way.

 

These rays are quantised into photons.

 

Each photon has an energy associated with it:

 

E=hf

 

For higher frequency the energy is higher.

 

Gamma rays are defined as having a higher frequency (shorter wavelength) than radio waves and are therefore by definition higher in energy.

[swansont]

Gammas generally have higher energies, because they come from nuclear interactions which stem from a stronger coupling, so they almost always have higher energies than the interactions that give you radio waves.

[marcut]

It's todo with photons and wavelengths/frequencies.

 

We define gamma rays as having a certain frequency range, and radio waves in the same way.

 

These rays are quantised into photons.

 

Each photon has an energy associated with it:

 

E=hf

 

For higher frequency the energy is higher.

 

Gamma rays are defined as having a higher frequency (shorter wavelength) than radio waves and are therefore by definition higher in energy.

Thanks very much. Just, to put it in lower terms, it is because a gamma ray has a higher frequency which makes more energy? Does that sound good?

[swansont]

We define gamma rays as having a certain frequency range, and radio waves in the same way.

 

Actually we don't. Gammas come from nuclear interactions. You can have X-rays with higher energies than gammas. Probably not Radio waves, though.

[Klaynos]

Actually we don't. Gammas come from nuclear interactions. You can have X-rays with higher energies than gammas. Probably not Radio waves, though.

 

This I did not know, thanks!

[YT2095]

I think the confusion comes from the common use of the term "X-ray", it`s often associated soley with the photographs taken of materials to give a negative plate or an X-Ray of it.

and these can be done either with a gamma source OR an X-ray (or better called Rontgen rays).

so the 2 end up geting bunched together as the same.