Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A helium-neon laser sends out a beam of power mW. The beam is circular with a diameter of mm, and the light is spread evenly over it. Its wavelength is nm. Use , m/s and J s. Find:
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. The intensity. mm, so .
Step 2. The electric field. .
Step 3. The magnetic field. .
Step 4. The energy in a metre. .
Step 5. The photons. Here . One photon has . So .
Answer: kW/m²; V/m; ; pJ; photons.
Watch out. The question gives the diameter. Using it as the radius makes the intensity four times too small.
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In a plane wave the electric and magnetic parts of the energy are equal. The average energy density is and the intensity is . For a point source , and for a beam . Also .