Question:medium
Which of the following electromagnetic waves has photons of largest momentum?
Which of the following electromagnetic waves has photons of largest momentum?
Show Hint
The momentum of a photon is directly proportional to its frequency. Since X-rays have the highest frequency, their photons carry the largest momentum.
Updated On: Feb 9, 2026
- X-rays
- AM radio waves
- Microwaves
- TV waves
Show Solution
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
A photon’s momentum is directly related to its wavelength.
The equation defining the relationship between photon momentum
(p) and wavelength (λ) is:
p = \( \frac{h}{\lambda} \)
Here, h represents Planck’s constant.
This equation shows that momentum is inversely proportional to wavelength.
Therefore, photons with shorter wavelengths possess greater momentum.
Electromagnetic waves arranged in increasing order of wavelength are:
- X-rays
- TV waves
- Microwaves
- AM radio waves
Among these, X-rays have the shortest wavelength.
Hence, according to the photon momentum–wavelength relation,
they have the highest momentum.
Final Answer: X-rays
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