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The electrons in an atom's "electron shell" all have specific energy levels. If you add energy to an atom, the atom will absorb a specific amount of energy, and the electron will jump up to a higher energy level. Each different element has its own energy levels, and it can only absorb energy in specific amounts.
(When you add a lot of energy to the atom, the atom becomes ionized, as one or more electrons absorb enough energy to break free of the atom completely, leaving the atom with an unbalanced positive electrical charge.)
When those "excited" or jumped-up electrons release the energy, the electron drops back to its previous level, and the atom (or more specifically, the electron) emits a photon, which is a particle of light. Each photon has a frequency or energy that is distinctive to the element and the energy level. Electrons cannot have intermediate energies; they absorb and release exact "packets" or "quanta" of energy.
This is how a mass spectrometer works; the operator ionizes a sample of the material that he wants to analyze, and watches the resulting spectrum. Each wavelength of light emitted by the sample corresponds to one specific element.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoElectrons can only exist in certain energy levels. The emission of light is observed when an electron falls from a higher energy level to a lower energy level. It gives off photons (energy) in the form of visible light. Because these electrons can only reside in levels of specific energy and thus only lose certain amounts of energy, they can only emit certain wavelengths of light.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoAtoms emmit light when an electon falls from a position in a high level/energy shell to a position in a lower level/energy shell.
This implies that the electron has to be excited to a higher level shell in the first place and this is true. The excitation can be the refers of emitting light (light energy can be absorbed by an atom) or the excitation can be mechanical - heat causes atoms to vibrate and this vibration can boost an electron to a higher level.
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What causes the apparent colors of the objects we see?
What we perceive as color is specific wavelengths of light. Objects either emit or reflect light. Again depending on which wavelengths are either emitted or reflected is the color(s) we see. In emitted colors, a given source emits light. If all wavelengths are emitted then what we see is white. The object may emit specific wavelengths of light or it may use some sort of filter that allows only specific wavelengths to pass through and blocks all others. In reflected colors. the object or pigments of or on an object absorb all light wavelengths except certain ones. Those that are not trapped and are reflected or refracted back (as in the case of rainbows) we perceive as color(s).
How do scientists determine the chemical makeup of the stars?
Different chemicals emit and absorb light at various wavelengths. Astronomers can look at the wavelength of light coming from stars and determine which chemicals must be present.
Is Mars luminous or not?
It can be with the light it reflects from the sun, but not over long distances. Mars does not emit light except in the very long wavelengths (infra red). It is non-luminous. It is only visible because of the light it reflects, as the first answer states.
Hotter stars glow with light that is more intense at?
Hotter stars flow with light that is more intense at shorter wave lengths. The hottest stars emit their radiation in short violet light wavelengths. Their light appears blue white when observed.
How does the earth emit light?
The Earth does not emit light, it like the moon reflects light
What physical phenomenon is causing each dye to absorb light of one or more colors and transmit light of other colors?
In a spectrometer, each dye will absorb light of certain colors and transmit light of other colors because of the nature of the atoms of the object and the frequency of the light. If the frequency of the light is the same as the frequency that the electrons in the atoms are vibrating, then the light will be absorbed and transferred into vibrational motion.
Atoms emit energy as light when?
Atoms emit energy as light when electrons move to a lower energy level
What are three deficiencies of the wave model of light related to lights interaction with matter?
The wave model of light can not explain why heated objects emit only certain frequencies of light at a given temperature, why some metals emit electrons when light of a certain frequency is shone upon them, and it cannot explain the emission of different wavelengths from the different colors when an object (iron for example) is heated
Is it true that gas Atoms subjected to electricity emit bright lines of light?
yes, they do emit
What causes the apparent colors of the objects we see?
What we perceive as color is specific wavelengths of light. Objects either emit or reflect light. Again depending on which wavelengths are either emitted or reflected is the color(s) we see. In emitted colors, a given source emits light. If all wavelengths are emitted then what we see is white. The object may emit specific wavelengths of light or it may use some sort of filter that allows only specific wavelengths to pass through and blocks all others. In reflected colors. the object or pigments of or on an object absorb all light wavelengths except certain ones. Those that are not trapped and are reflected or refracted back (as in the case of rainbows) we perceive as color(s).
Why a glowing gas gives only certain wavelengths of light?
The atoms of glowing gas emit the wavelength of radiations which lie in its spectrum. The same wavelength it can absorb because these are suitable for excitation pass through th gas
Do atoms only emit visible light?
Yes because it only have light in common?
Wavelenghts at which planets emit enregy?
Most planets absorb energy in the light and UV (and shorter) wavelengths. Planets radiate energy in the infrared (heat) and longer wavelengths.
How do incandescent light bulbs work?
It depends on the type of light. Both Fluorescent lights and LEDs initially emit light in the UV range or near-UV range (high energy). This light is then absorbed by compounds which re-emit the light at longer wavelengths (lower energy). The difference in energy between what the compound absorbs and what it emits is dissipated as heat. Different compounds emit different wavelengths when excited by UV light. By using a cocktail of compounds, a wide variety of wavelengths can be emitted, producing a spectrum that is very similar to that of natural light. Full spectrum LEDs use a different compounds than fluorescent lights do, but the concept is the same. Full spectrum lights are different from many so called white lights in that white lights usually emit only three or four discrete wavelengths. The eye averages the different wavelengths together to give the perception of color. If the ratios between the intensities of the wavelengths is just right, the light appears white.
What is wavelength of light emitting from LED?
It depends on the precise material used to make the LED. Different colors of LED emit different wavelengths.
What color light is emitted by radio waves?
Radio waves do not emit visible light. Only light with wavelengths of roughly 4*10^-7 to 7*10^-7 meters are visible.
Does the sun or earth emit light with higher energy?
Only the sun emits radiation in the wavelengths of visible light, which is considerably higher energy than infrared emitted by Earth.
