photon
noun
pho·ton
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Definition of photon
1
: a quantum of electromagnetic radiation
Should a substance happen to have a lot of electrons in a higher level, and a lower level is mostly empty âŠ, then a photon can cause an electron to transfer from a higher state to a lower one. This change releases energy and creates a new photon, in addition to the one which caused the transfer. This photon can in turn induce more electrons to fall to a lower state.— Robert Gilmore
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Other Words from photon
photonic
\ fĆ-ËtĂ€-nik
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adjective
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adjective
Examples of photon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The project is an experiment to see if the momentum of photons hitting the sail will accelerate the craft sufficiently to raise its orbit . — Washington Post, "Images show Lightsail 2 spacecraftâs solar sail has deployed," 26 July 2019 The individual particles of light, called photons, spread out in a broad array, bounce off surfaces and return to sensors attached to the camera. — Mark Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "'Seems like dark magic': Camera that can see around corners created by UW scientists," 5 Aug. 2019 Solar sails, on the other hand, are powered by photons emitted by the sun. — Elijah Wolfson, Time, "Lightsail 2's Successful Deployment Makes it the First Steerable Spacecraft Powered by the Sun," 26 July 2019 Because x-rays would penetrate a traditional flat telescope mirror, focusing them requires cylindrical mirrors that gather x-ray photons in glancing, low-angle reflections off inner surfaces. — Daniel Clery, Science | AAAS, "Update: Telescope designed to study mysterious dark energy keeps Russiaâs space science hopes alive," 15 July 2019 Bob can read the interference pattern on nearby photon detectors. — Kevin Hartnett, WIRED, "It's Not a Myth: Quantum Messages Really Can Travel Faster," 23 Dec. 2018 The process is best understood by considering a single photon thatâs in a superposition of being polarized horizontally and vertically. — Wired, "A New Quantum Paradox Flags Errors in Our View of Reality," 9 Dec. 2018 Instead, the electron typically finds a way to lose the energy without emitting a photon, so no light comes out. — Chris Lee, Ars Technica, "Silicon LED created by buzzing surface with high-speed electrons," 22 July 2019 Blunderbuss, shiv or photon torpedo Perhaps the simplest way to attack a satellite is to hit it with a missile from Earth. — The Economist, "Attacking satellites is increasingly attractiveâand dangerous," 18 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'photon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for photon
photon
noun
English Language Learners Definition of photon
physics
: a tiny particle of light or electromagnetic radiation
See the full definition for photon in the English Language Learners Dictionary
photon
noun
pho·ton
| \ ËfĆ-ËtĂ€n
\
\
Medical Definition of photon
1
: a unit of intensity of light at the retina equal to the illumination received per square millimeter of a pupillary area from a surface having a brightness of one candela per square meter
— called also troland
2
: a quantum of electromagnetic radiation