Valokvantit

Valokvantit is a Finnish term that translates to "light quanta" or "photons" in English. It refers to the fundamental particles of light and all other forms of electromagnetic radiation. These discrete packets of energy are responsible for carrying electromagnetic forces and exhibit dual properties of both waves and particles. The concept of the light quantum was first proposed by Max Planck in 1900 as an explanation for black-body radiation, and was later developed by Albert Einstein in 1905 to explain the photoelectric effect.

The energy of a valokvantti is directly proportional to its frequency, a relationship described by the Planck-Einstein relation: E = hf, where E is the energy, h is Planck's constant, and f is the frequency. This means that higher frequency light, such as blue light or ultraviolet radiation, consists of valokvantit with higher energy than lower frequency light, like red light or infrared radiation. Valokvantit are massless and travel at the speed of light in a vacuum. Their interactions with matter are crucial for many phenomena, including vision, photosynthesis, and the operation of electronic devices.