Electronvolt
Because a joule is such a large unit of energy, compared to the energy of an electron, when we’re measuring the energy that an electron holds, it’s not very convenient to measure everything in joules.
To fix that, we use electronvolts, which measure a much smaller quantity of energy, so we have more of them for every joule.
Converting electronvolts to joules
\text{joules}=\text{electronvolts}\div(1.6\times10^{-19})
Converting joules to electronvolts
\text{electronvolts}=\text{joules}\times(1.6\times10^{-19})
flashcards
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Electronvolt | Unit of energy equal to the energy gained by one electron when accelerated through a potential difference of one volt; used because the joule is too large for measuring electron energy. |
| Why is the electronvolt used instead of the joule for measuring electron energy? | Because a joule is such a large unit of energy compared to the energy of an electron, it is not convenient to measure everything in joules. |
| How do you convert electronvolts to joules? | |
| How do you convert joules to electronvolts? |