The Electronvolt (eV) in Energy

What is Electronvolt (eV)

The electronvolt (eV) is a unit of energy commonly used in the fields of physics and chemistry, particularly in the context of atomic and particle physics. It is a small amount of energy defined as the energy gained by a single electron when it is accelerated through an electric potential difference of one volt. Mathematically, this can be expressed as:

where e is the elementary charge, approximately 1.602×10−19 coulombs. This means that an electron moving through a potential difference of one volt will gain an energy of roughly 1.602×10−19 joules. The eV is a convenient unit for particles with small mass, such as electrons and photons, as it allows scientists to express energies that are often much smaller than those encountered in everyday life.

Common Conversion Values

To understand the relationship between the electronvolt and other energy units, here are some common conversion values:

• 1 eV=1.6×10−19 J
• 1 eV=1.6×10−22 kJ
• 1 eV=1.6×10−25 MJ
• 1 eV=1.6×10−28 GJ
• 1 eV=3.8215×10−20 cal
• 1 eV=3.8215×10−23 kcal
• 1 eV=3.8215×10−26 Mcal
• 1 eV=3.8215×10−29 Gcal
• 1 eV=4.4444×10−29 W h
• 1 eV=4.4444×10−32 kW h
• 1 eV=4.4444×10−35 MW h
• 1 eV=1.6×10−19 W s
• 1 eV=1.6×10−12 erg
• 1 eV=1.516507×10−39 quad
• 1 eV=1.516507×10−36 thm
• 1 eV=3.8215×10−29 th
• 1 eV=1.517307×10−40 BTU
• 1 eV=1.516507×10−40 BTU
• 1 eV=1.180099×10−41 ft lbf
• 1 eV=2.614658×10−42 boe
• 1 eV=3.469158×10−41 tTNT
• 1 eV=3.469158×10−41 kgTNT
• 1 eV=3.824092×10−41 tnTNT

Understanding these conversions helps in various scientific calculations where energy levels must be expressed in different contexts. The electronvolt, while small, plays a crucial role in the study of atomic and subatomic processes.