Do radio waves occur in photons, as some would claim, or
are photons just a facet of being generated from subatomic
actions?

For example, assuming that the Big Bang is true, in the short
time afterwards, there were no subatomic particles but there
would seem to have been a massive outward flux of energy.

If radio waves are generated as photons, are they generated
in phase, and how much energy is associated with each photon?

(Just a couple of off-the-cuff thoughts to provoke seemly
and gentlemanly technical discussion)

In rec.radio.amateur.antenna gareth wrote:
Do radio waves occur in photons, as some would claim, or
are photons just a facet of being generated from subatomic
actions?

All electromagnetic energy can be viewed as having the properties of
particles (photons) or the properties of waves.

What electromagnetic energy actually is is still an open question.

For example, assuming that the Big Bang is true, in the short
time afterwards, there were no subatomic particles but there
would seem to have been a massive outward flux of energy.

I'm not going to type in details of something already existing and
easily read:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bang

If radio waves are generated as photons, are they generated
in phase, and how much energy is associated with each photon?

Electromagnetic energy has phase in the wave model, not the particle model.

The energy of a photon is the frequency times Planck's Contant.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photon

(Just a couple of off-the-cuff thoughts to provoke seemly
and gentlemanly technical discussion)

Except for what electromagnetic energy actully IS, all this has been
settled decades ago, is easily looked up, and is as suitable for
discussion as what is 6 divided by 3.


--
Jim Pennino

"gareth" wrote in message
...
Do radio waves occur in photons, as some would claim, or
are photons just a facet of being generated from subatomic
actions?


Pass ...

"gareth" wrote in message
...
Do radio waves occur in photons, as some would claim, or
are photons just a facet of being generated from subatomic
actions?

For example, assuming that the Big Bang is true, in the short
time afterwards, there were no subatomic particles but there
would seem to have been a massive outward flux of energy.

If radio waves are generated as photons, are they generated
in phase, and how much energy is associated with each photon?

(Just a couple of off-the-cuff thoughts to provoke seemly
and gentlemanly technical discussion)



Perhaps photons from a 1MHz source are 300 metres in diameter,
but from a blue laser 300 nm in diameter.

"James Stewart" wrote in message
...

"gareth" wrote in message
...
Do radio waves occur in photons, as some would claim, or
are photons just a facet of being generated from subatomic
actions?


Pass ...

(Catching up on recent posts to this NG) ... distressed to hear of
your congenital liver problem, Jim.

"gareth" wrote in message
...
"James Stewart" wrote in message
...

"gareth" wrote in message
...
Do radio waves occur in photons, as some would claim, or
are photons just a facet of being generated from subatomic
actions?


Pass ...

(Catching up on recent posts to this NG) ... distressed to hear of
your congenital liver problem, Jim.



don't worry about it...

"gareth" wrote in news:m81cgv$hld$1@dont-
email.me:

Do radio waves occur in photons, as some would claim, or
are photons just a facet of being generated from subatomic
actions?

It's more a matter of observation than of generation. Try to think
simply of electromagnetic energy (one of the 4 basic forces). If you look
for wave-like behaviour, then that's what you'll see. Ditto for
particles. It's called wave-particle duality. I don't know if there's any
easy way to demonstrate particle behaviour at RF energy levels, which is
why we tend to describe RF energy in terms of wavelength or frequency.
Similarly, it's not easy to observe or measure wave-like behaviour with
X-rays or gamma rays, so they are normally described in terms of their
photon energy in MeV, GeV, etc.


For example, assuming that the Big Bang is true, in the short
time afterwards, there were no subatomic particles but there
would seem to have been a massive outward flux of energy.

If radio waves are generated as photons, are they generated
in phase, and how much energy is associated with each photon?

Again, you need to think in terms of observation rather than generation.
The energy of each photon is given by the simple formula
E = hf, where h is Planck's constant and f is frequency.