What do photons depend on for their characteristics?

Photons are elementary particles that exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties, and their characteristics are fundamentally linked to their frequency. The frequency of a photon determines its energy and color in the context of electromagnetic radiation. According to the equation E = hf, where E is the energy of the photon, h is Planck's constant, and f is the frequency, a higher frequency correlates with higher energy.

In the electromagnetic spectrum, different frequencies correspond to different types of radiation. For instance, visible light has frequencies in a specific range, while ultraviolet radiation has higher frequencies and, therefore, higher energy than visible light. Thus, understanding a photon's frequency is crucial, as it directly influences much of its behavior and interaction with matter.

While wavelength also describes photons and is related to frequency through the speed of light (c = wavelength × frequency), it is the frequency itself that directly affects the energy and observable characteristics of the photon. Amplitude, on the other hand, relates more to the intensity of the wave rather than the intrinsic properties of the photons themselves. Velocity is generally constant for all photons in a vacuum, being equal to the speed of light, and does not define their characteristics. Therefore, only frequency captures the essence of what defines a photon