Radiant Energy
Definition: energy of some electromagnetic radiation which is emitted, transmitted or absorbed during some interval of time
Alternative term: optical energy
German: Strahlungsenergie
Categories: general optics, light detection and characterization, optical metrology
Formula symbol: Qe
Units: J
How to cite the article; suggest additional literature
Author: Dr. RĂ¼diger Paschotta
In radiometry, a radiant energy is the energy of some electromagnetic radiation which is emitted, transmitted or absorbed during some interval of time. The corresponding photometric quantity is the luminous energy Qv.
The term radiant energy is common in fields like illumination and radiative heating (with infrared radiation), but less so in laser technology, where it is more common to use the term pulse energy for the energy in an optical pulse.
Many radiometric quantities are derived from the radiant energy. For example, the radiant flux is the radiant energy per unit time, which in optics corresponds to the optical power. A radiant exposure is the received radiant energy per unit area.
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See also: pulse energy, radiometry
and other articles in the categories general optics, light detection and characterization, optical metrology
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