Meaning & use

photon

noun·Academic

A particle representing a single quantum, or discrete unit, of light or other electromagnetic radiation.

See it in a sentence

A single photon of light can, under the right conditions, trigger a detector.

Solar panels convert energy from photons into an electric current.

A note on using this word

Photons have no mass and always travel at the speed of light, a key idea in quantum physics.

Words with a similar meaning

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