Calculator for the Electromagnetic Spectrum

Convert wave length, frequency and energy

Please enter one value and press the according = button.
Round to 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 decimal places
Wave length λ:	* 10^9 m, Gigameters 10^6 m, Megameters 10^3 m, Kilometers m, Meters 10^-3 m, Millimeters 10^-6 m, Micrometers 10^-9 m, Nanometers 10^-12 m, Pikometers 10^-15 m, Femtometers
Frequency f:	* Hz, Hertz 10^3 Hz, Kilohertz 10^6 Hz, Megahertz 10^9 Hz, Gigahertz 10^12 Hz, Terahertz 10^15 Hz, Petahertz 10^18 Hz, Exahertz 10^21 Hz, Zettahertz 10^24 Hz, Yottahertz
Photon energy Ep:	* 10^-15 eV, Femtoelektron-volts 10^-12 eV, Pikooelektron-volts 10^-9 eV, Nanoelektron-volts 10^-6 eV, Microelektron-volts 10^-3 eV, Millielektron-volts eV, Elektron-volts 10^3 eV, Kiloelektron-volts 10^6 eV, Megaelektron-volts 10^9 eV, Gigaelektron-volts
Energy E:	* 10^-33 J 10^-30 J 10^-27 J 10^-24 J, Yoktojoule 10^-21 J, Zeptojoule 10^-18 J, Attojoule 10^-15 J, Femtojoule 10^-12 J, Pikojoule 10^-9 J, Nanojoule
Temperature at λmax:
Photons per joule:
Type:

Formulas:
Planck constant h = 6.62606957*10^-34 J*s
Speed of light c = 299792458 m/s
c = λ*f
Elektron-volt: 1 eV = 1.602176565*10^-19 J
E = h*c / λ
E_p = E / (1.602176565*10^-19)
T at λ_max = 2,89776829 nm * Kelvin / λ (Wien's displacement law)
T at λ_max is the temperature of a black body, whose radiation has a maximum at λ.
Photons per joule = 1 / (1.602176565*10^-19 * E_p)

Table:

The electromagnetic spectrum is the region in which electromagnetic waves occur. The different waves differ in their wavelength, i.e. the distance between two wave crests, and their frequency, the number of times a wave crest is passed through per second. Since electromagnetic waves in the same medium all have the same speed, namely the speed of light, both values ​​can be converted directly into one another, as can the energy that such a wave has. The electromagnetic waves that we are most familiar with are those of light, because we have sensory organs to perceive them. However, light only takes up a tiny part of the electromagnetic spectrum. We also notice infrared radiation when we get warm, but our ability to perceive it is much less precise here. We only notice other types of radiation when they harm us or have already harmed us, such as ultraviolet, which causes sunburn. The shorter the wavelength (and of course the more intense, i.e. the more waves), the more dangerous the radiation is for us.
Radiation can be seen not only as a wave, but also as a particle. The radiation particles are called photons. Which perspective is appropriate really depends on the case, and we have now become accustomed to the wave-particle duality, which occurs not only with electromagnetic waves, but also with electrons, for example. This is just one of the many aspects of quantum mechanics that are not particularly understandable. In fact, quantum mechanics very often runs counter to what seems to be common sense, but it simply works very well and provides predictions and explanations for real phenomena in the nature of the very small that cannot be explained without it. Physical theories that do not require quantum mechanics are called classical theories. One of these is the general theory of relativity, which also provides very good predictions and explanations, but for the area of ​​the very large. Both important theories contradict each other where they meet. These are particularly black holes and singularities, where the very large and the very small coincide. However, there are certainly promising attempts to bring the two theories closer together.

Last updated on 06/23/2025. Author: Jürgen Kummer

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