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An electron can be located in any of several energy levels around the nucleus of an atom. Usually, an electron will occupy the "ground state," which is the lowest energy level available. Electrons can be thought of as being lazy, which means they don't want to work any harder than they have to; and occupying the ground state amounts to the path of least resistance. Occasionally, however, an electron can "bump up" to a higher energy level. It can do this by absorbing energy from an outside source, such as an electrical current. It will occupy this higher energy level for a certain amount of time, then drop back to its ground state, releasing that same energy it absorbed to get there. The amount of energy absorbed is called a quantum. Often, the electron will release that quantum of energy as a photon, which is a "bundle" of light. Billions of photons can be a light that you can see, and this is how neon lights and glow sticks work. So the higher an energy level an electron occupies, the higher its energy.

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What is the relationship between the size of electrons and their behavior in an atom?

The size of electrons does not have a direct relationship with their behavior in an atom. Electrons are considered point particles with negligible size, and their behavior is primarily determined by their energy levels and interactions with the nucleus and other electrons in the atom.


What is the relationship between energy levels and orbitals in an atom?

The energy levels in an atom determine the possible locations of electrons, known as orbitals. Each energy level can contain a specific number of orbitals, and electrons fill these orbitals based on their energy levels.


What is the relationship between orbitals and energy levels in an atom?

In an atom, energy levels represent the different energy states that electrons can occupy. Orbitals are regions within an energy level where electrons are likely to be found. Each energy level can contain multiple orbitals, each with a specific shape and orientation. The higher the energy level, the farther the orbitals are from the nucleus, and the higher the energy of the electrons in those orbitals.


What is the relationship between the valence and conduction bands in semiconductor materials?

In semiconductor materials, the valence band is the highest energy band occupied by electrons, while the conduction band is the next higher energy band that electrons can move into to conduct electricity. The energy gap between the valence and conduction bands determines the conductivity of the semiconductor.


What is the relationship between frequency and kinetic energy in photoelectric effect?

In the photoelectric effect, increasing the frequency of incident light increases the kinetic energy of the emitted electrons. This is because higher frequency light photons carry more energy, which can be transferred to the electrons during the photoelectric effect.

Related Questions

What is the relationship between the flow of energy and the transfer of electrons?

they both have a connection by neutrons of the same energy level of an atom


What is the relationship between the size of electrons and their behavior in an atom?

The size of electrons does not have a direct relationship with their behavior in an atom. Electrons are considered point particles with negligible size, and their behavior is primarily determined by their energy levels and interactions with the nucleus and other electrons in the atom.


are chemical bond energy relationship between outer electrons and neighboring atoms?

Yes, chemical bond energy results from the interactions between the outer electrons of atoms and their neighboring atoms. These interactions involve the sharing, transfer, or attraction of electrons to achieve a more stable configuration, leading to the formation of chemical bonds. The strength of the bond is determined by the nature of these interactions and the arrangement of atoms in the molecule.


What is the relationship between energy levels and orbitals in an atom?

The energy levels in an atom determine the possible locations of electrons, known as orbitals. Each energy level can contain a specific number of orbitals, and electrons fill these orbitals based on their energy levels.


What is the relationship between the kinetic energy of ejected electrons and the intensity of incident light in the photoelectric effect?

In the photoelectric effect, the kinetic energy of ejected electrons is directly proportional to the intensity of the incident light. This means that higher intensity light results in higher kinetic energy of the ejected electrons.


What is the relationship between the light emitted by an atom in the energies of the electrons in the atom?

The more energy levels the electron jumps the more energy the emitted light will have. The more energy you have the shorter wavelength there is.


What is Relationship between redox-potential and free energy?

The relationship between redox potential and free energy is that redox potential is a measure of the tendency of a molecule to lose or gain electrons, which relates to the change in free energy associated with the redox reaction. A more positive redox potential indicates a greater tendency to lose electrons and a more negative redox potential indicates a greater tendency to gain electrons, reflecting the spontaneity of the redox reaction and the associated change in free energy.


What is the relationship between the work done while moving a book to a higher bookshelf the potential energy that the book has on the shelf?

Potetial energy is the energy an object has because of its position or location, or its energy of position.


What is the relationship between lattice energy and ionic bond strength?

The more lattice energy there is, the more the ionic bond attracts electrons from other atoms forming new compounds.


What is the relationship between solar energy and global winds'?

The relationship between the two is their energy source which is the sun.


What is the relationship between orbitals and energy levels in an atom?

In an atom, energy levels represent the different energy states that electrons can occupy. Orbitals are regions within an energy level where electrons are likely to be found. Each energy level can contain multiple orbitals, each with a specific shape and orientation. The higher the energy level, the farther the orbitals are from the nucleus, and the higher the energy of the electrons in those orbitals.


What is the relationship between the valence and conduction bands in semiconductor materials?

In semiconductor materials, the valence band is the highest energy band occupied by electrons, while the conduction band is the next higher energy band that electrons can move into to conduct electricity. The energy gap between the valence and conduction bands determines the conductivity of the semiconductor.