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Even though an oxygen atom is electrically neutral, since it has equal numbers of protons and electrons, it can still act as though it is positively charged, because the electrons are very mobile and they arrange themselves in a way that maximizes their connection to the nucleus while minimizing their connection to other electrons, which repel them. So when an oxygen atom adds an electron, that electron is attracted by the positive nucleus more than it is repelled by the negative electrons orbiting the nucleus. The separation between the electron and the nucleus is a form of potential energy, just as you gain potential energy by raising an object in a gravitational field. As the electron falls toward the nucleus, potential energy is converted into other energy, such as heat or light.

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The energy released during the ionization of a non-metal is called the?

The energy released during the ionization of a non-metal is called the ionization energy. It represents the energy required to remove an electron from a neutral atom to form a positively charged ion.


Why are most electron affinities negative numbers?

Most electron affinities are negative because when an electron is added to an atom, energy is released. This released energy causes the system to become more stable, resulting in a negative change in energy. The negative sign indicates that energy is released during the process.


Energy can be released from a pigment with an excited electron by what method?

Energy can be released from a pigment with an excited electron through the emission of light, a process known as fluorescence. When an electron returns to its ground state from an excited state, the energy difference is released as light energy.


What represents a neutral atom acquiring an electron in an exothermic process?

When a neutral atom acquires an electron in an exothermic process, it forms a negatively charged ion. This occurs when the energy released during the process is greater than the energy required to add the electron. The result is a more stable ion with a full outer electron shell.


What is the amount of energy released by an electron as it returned to ground state?

The energy released by an electron as it returns to the ground state is equal to the difference in energy between its initial excited state and the ground state. This energy is typically released in the form of a photon with a specific wavelength determined by the energy difference.

Related Questions

The energy released during the ionization of a non-metal is called the?

The energy released during the ionization of a non-metal is called the ionization energy. It represents the energy required to remove an electron from a neutral atom to form a positively charged ion.


Why are most electron affinities negative numbers?

Most electron affinities are negative because when an electron is added to an atom, energy is released. This released energy causes the system to become more stable, resulting in a negative change in energy. The negative sign indicates that energy is released during the process.


Why is energy absorbed during successive electron affinities?

There is a greater repulsive force from the negatively charged anion, thus causing the addition of successive electrons to be electrically unfavorable. Energy is necessary to overcome the electrostatic repulsion, making additional electron affinities endothermic. For the same reason, the noble gases and nitrogen absorb energy even for their first ionization energy. Greater stability = energy released. It requires energy to disrupt that stability.


What happens to an electron during an electron transition?

Drops to a lower energy level and emits one photon of light.


If you make the electron jump downward then return it to the outer ring what do you notice about the photon released or absorbed?

When an electron jumps downward to a lower energy state in an atom, it releases energy in the form of a photon which is emitted. When the electron returns to the outer ring, it absorbs energy in the form of a photon. The energy of the photon absorbed is equal to the energy of the photon released during the downward jump.


During what does most energy release in the mitochondria?

The majority of energy within the mitochondria is released during the process of cellular respiration, specifically during the electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation. This is where the majority of ATP, the cell's primary energy source, is produced.


When an electron drops to a lower energy level what is the energy of a photon released?

The energy of the photon is the same as the energy lost by the electron


Energy can be released from a pigment with an excited electron by what method?

Energy can be released from a pigment with an excited electron through the emission of light, a process known as fluorescence. When an electron returns to its ground state from an excited state, the energy difference is released as light energy.


When an electron gets excited is energy released or absorbed?

When an electron gets excited, energy is absorbed to move the electron to a higher energy level. This absorbed energy gets released when the electron returns to its original energy level, emitting electromagnetic radiation such as light.


Energy lost by an electron during its transition from an outer to an inner orbit is emitted as a flash of light called a?

Energy lost by an electron during its transition from an outer to an inner orbit is emitted as a flash of light called an emission. Light/energy emissions are released in a characteristic manner (wavelength) that corresponds to the amount of energy lost.


What represents a neutral atom acquiring an electron in an exothermic process?

When a neutral atom acquires an electron in an exothermic process, it forms a negatively charged ion. This occurs when the energy released during the process is greater than the energy required to add the electron. The result is a more stable ion with a full outer electron shell.


What is the amount of energy released by an electron as it returned to ground state?

The energy released by an electron as it returns to the ground state is equal to the difference in energy between its initial excited state and the ground state. This energy is typically released in the form of a photon with a specific wavelength determined by the energy difference.