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Simple answer: Valence electrons losing energy.
Expanded answer:
Atoms, the most basic unit of matter, contain charged particles call electrons and protons, along with neutral particles called neutrons. Protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus of an atom.
Electrons are arranged in specific areas called shells (or orbits). When the electrons are excited (for example, by heat), they jump from one shell to another. Once they fall back they start to emit photons--light. Each element has a different color based on how many valence electrons it has.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Wiki User
∙ 15y agowhen electrons get excited they go up a certain number of levels they give of light when they go back to the ground level
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoThe electron has to move from a higher to a lower energy level. The energy it has is too much for the lower level, so it emits it as a photon. ( A light beam)
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoLight is emitted when an excited electron falls back to its ground state.
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What particle does argon-39 emit when it decays to potassium-39?
electron dood
What causes an electron to go from a ground state to excited state?
Typically, an electron goes into an excited state when a photon (a particle of light) with just the right wavelength strikes it. For most molecules, these photons are in the Ultraviolet / Visible light spectrum.
Is it true that gas Atoms subjected to electricity emit bright lines of light?
yes, they do emit
What change occurs with the atom when it is emitting light?
An electron has dropped from a higher energy state to a lower one. The photon emitted has precisely the same energy as was lost by the electron.
When electrons jump to a higher energy level they emit or absorb energy?
Electrons are normally in an energy level called the ground state. In the ground state electrons absorb heat energy and then get into the excited state where they release the energy and exert light energy. The light energy can be seen with a spectroscope with a unique bright line emission spectrum.
How do you describe an electron that can emit light?
Light Emitting Diode
Why Silicon and germanium emit light?
they emit heat when their is a recombination of electron and holes
What causes the surface of the sun to emit light and heat?
the causes
How does electron allow a fluroscent tube to glow?
The electrons in the mercury arc current in the tube causes the mercury vapor to emit ultraviolet light. The inside surface of the tube is coated with a phosphor that glows with visible light when hit by ultraviolet light.
What other sorts of stress cause p lunula cells to emit light?
Mechanical stress causes p lunula cells to emit light.
What occurs when light strikes a metal and electrons are released?
The electrons in the electron sea absorb and re-emit the light.
What three processes cause fireworks to emit life?
The process that causes fireworks to emit light is the excitation of an electron. When you give energy to an electron is a substance via heat etc. it is able to move up to a higher energy level. There is a set amount of energy between the energy state the the electron was in and now is in. The electron prefers to be in the lower energy state so releases some energy in the form of a photon which is a light particle. The energy of the photon depends on the distance between the 2 energy levels which in turn depends on the substance (copper, iron etc.). Different energies give photons of different wavelengths and therefore different colours
What are two types of beta decay for radioactive elements?
Some isotopes emit an electron on decay, others emit a positron (anti-electron).
Do light bulbs emit light or suck dark?
Light bulbs emit light.
Does technetium emit light?
Technetium doesn't emit light.
Do galaxies emit light?
Yes galaxies emit light
Do light bulbs emit light or suck in dark?
bulbs emit light
