photons
n. countable C2 Proficiency US //ˈfoʊˌtɑnz// UK //fˈəʊtɒnz// pho·tons
n. tiny particles of light that carry energy. They have no mass and move at the fastest speed possible in the universe.
n. elementary particles that serve as the quantum of the electromagnetic field, including electromagnetic radiation such as light and radio waves. They are massless and travel at the speed of light in a vacuum.
Photons from the sun take eight minutes to reach Earth.
Solar panels work by converting the energy from incoming photons into a flow of electricity.
In quantum mechanics, light exhibits wave-particle duality, behaving as a continuous wave in some experiments and as discrete photons in others.
Usage
Usually used in the plural when discussing light as a stream of particles; the singular form refers to a single quantum of light.