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title: What is Electron Volt(eV)? - Energy Theory
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# What is Electron Volt(eV)?
By [Elliot Clark](https://energytheory.com/author/elliot_clark/)November 17, 20233 Mins Read
An electron gains one Volt’s worth of kinetic energy when it is accelerated through an electric potential differential, which is equal to 1.603 x 1019 units of energy or work. The **amount of energy an electron gains when its electrical potential rises by one volt** are measured in terms of electron volts, a unit of energy frequently used in atomic and nuclear physics. 1.602 ×— 10^(-12) erg, or 1.602 ×— 10^(−19) joule, is the equivalent of an electron volt. MeV stands for 106 (1,000,000) electron volts, GeV for 109 (1,000,000,000,000), and TeV for 1012 (1,000,000,000,000).
### **What are the Applications of Electron Volts?**
The applications of electron volts are stated below:
**1. As a unit of mass:** In particle physics, the unit of eV/c2 is used to describe a particle’s mass. Commonly, the natural system with c fixed to 1 is used to translate mass into eV. The mass-energy equivalent of Einstein’s formula E = mc2 makes this feasible.
When stated in terms of electron volts, the value of 1 atomic mass unit is,
1 u = 931.4941 MeV/c2
**2. As a unit of momentum:** Particle momentum can be calculated by dividing energy by the speed of light. Momentum is frequently expressed in terms of the electron volt divided by the speed of light in high-energy physics.
**3. As a unit of distance:** In particle physics, the inverse energy units, primarily electron volts, are frequently used to represent the particle scattering lengths. In addition, photon wavelengths are expressed in electron volts, with an energy that is equivalent to the photon’s energy expressed in electron volts.
**4. As a unit of temperature:** The temperature of a plasma is measured in electron volts in plasma physics. Here, the electron volt is separated by the Boltzmann steady Kb to get the temperature in the [Kelvin scale](https://suprabeam.com/technology/what-is-kelvin/). A temperature of 11604.5182 K can be calculated by dividing 1 eV by the Boltzmann constant. This value shows that the kelvin electron volt conversion can be used to simplify calculations involving high temperatures.
**5. As a unit of time:** We obtain the result by dividing Planck’s “h” constant by the electron volt.
582 x 10^(-16) s = h/(2xπxeV)
In a calculation involving particles with a short half-life, this time eV relation will provide us with an extremely helpful constant.
A measure of energy known as an electron volt is used extensively in particle physics and high-energy physics. It aids in streamlining calculations and aids in providing us with a clearer understanding of data that is challenging to analyze using the standard measure of energy. (joules).
1 electron volt is equivalent to 1.602 x 10^(-19) joules.
**Recommended:** [What is an Electrolyte?](https://energytheory.com/what-is-an-electrolyte/)
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[Elliot Clark](https://energytheory.com/author/elliot_clark/)
Elliot is a passionate environmentalist and blogger who has dedicated his life to spreading awareness about conservation, green energy, and renewable energy. With a background in environmental science, he has a deep understanding of the issues facing our planet and is committed to educating others on how they can make a difference.
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