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Photon vs Laser - What's the difference?

photon | laser |

As nouns the difference between photon and laser

is that photon is the quantum of light and other electromagnetic energy, regarded as a discrete particle having zero rest mass, no electric charge, and an indefinitely long lifetime. It is a gauge boson while laser is a device that produces a monochromatic, coherent beam of light.

As a verb laser is

to cut with a laser.

photon

English

(wikipedia photon)

Noun

(en noun)
  • (particle) The quantum of light and other electromagnetic energy, regarded as a discrete particle having zero rest mass, no electric charge, and an indefinitely long lifetime. It is a gauge boson.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author= Fenella Saunders
    • , title= Tiny Lenses See the Big Picture, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=The single-imaging optic of the mammalian eye offers some distinct visual advantages. Such lenses can take in photons from a wide range of angles, increasing light sensitivity. They also have high spatial resolution, resolving incoming images in minute detail.}}

    Derived terms

    * photonics

    See also

    * phonon * plasmon ----

    laser

    English

    Etymology 1

    From LASER, Originally called an optical maser .

    Noun

    (wikipedia laser) (en noun)
  • A device that produces a monochromatic, coherent beam of light.
  • A laser printer.
  • * 2004 , PC Mag (volume 23, number 9, 18 May 2004, page 117)
    • The bad news is that nearly every color laser is too big to share a desk with comfortably.
    Synonyms
    * LASER ( acronym of light amplification by the stimulated emission of radiation ) * optical maser , optical MASER
    Related terms
    * antilaser * lase * Laserdisc, laser disc, laser disk * laserless * laserlike * laser printer * maser * nonlaser * quantum cascade laser
    See also
    * Taser

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cut with a
  • (sports) To throw with laser-like precision
  • * {{quote-news, year=2009, date=February 2, author=Dave Perkins, title=Steelers tiptoe past Cards, work=Toronto Star citation
    • , passage=None was any more sensational than No.6, a fantastic 27-23 last-gasp win over the Arizona Cardinals, cemented by a brilliant toe-sticking TD catch by Santonio Holmes in the back of the end zone with 35 seconds remaining on a pass lasered by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. }}

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl)

    Alternative forms

    * lasar

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A gum resin obtained from certain umbelliferous plants.
  • Such a plant.
    • Related terms
    * laserpicium * Laserpithium
    See also
    * silphium, silfium, silphion

    Anagrams

    * * * * English terms with multiple etymologies ----