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MegaDeth
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When electrons gain enough energy to move out to a higher energy orbit then back to their ground state, why do they release a photon? Also, what exactly is 'electromagnetic' about light?
MegaDeth said:When electrons gain enough energy to move out to a higher energy orbit then back to their ground state, why do they release a photon? Also, what exactly is 'electromagnetic' about light?
ZapperZ said:You DO know that I don't need an electron decaying back to its lower orbital to get light, don't you? I could take an electron (or a proton or any charged particle) and jiggle it up and down, and voila! I've created electromagnetic wave/light! It isn't just a property of electrons!
Zz.
zincshow said:Would you mind posting a link showing photons of light being produced in this manner? I am not sure I understand "jiggle". TIA.
ZapperZ said:You DO know that I don't need an electron decaying back to its lower orbital to get light, don't you? I could take an electron (or a proton or any charged particle) and jiggle it up and down, and voila! I've created electromagnetic wave/light! It isn't just a property of electrons!
Zz.
Drakkith said:They have to lose energy to fall back down into the lower orbitals. The only way they can do this is by releasing a photon. They are not "orbiting" the atom in the way a planet orbits a star. The exist kind of like a standing wave in which there are only certain frequencies (energy levels) that they can have.
Light is composed of an oscillating electric and magenetic field. That is why it is electromagnetic.
zincshow said:Would you mind posting a link showing photons of light being produced in this manner? I am not sure I understand "jiggle". TIA.
MegaDeth said:I know the electrons don't actually orbit the nucleus, ok, so do they release a photon because it's pure energy? When you say light is composed of an oscillating electric and magenetic field, what does that mean exactly? I've heard it before, but why do the fields oscillate?
MegaDeth said:Well to be honest, I never said that you DO need an electron decaying back to its lower orbital to get light. :S That's really the only way I know how light is produced. Ok, but what actually causes an EM wave to form when you 'jiggle' an ion up and down?
ZapperZ said:Go to ANY synchrotron light source facility. Look up what happens when the bunches of electrons go through a series of magnets called either undulator or wiggler (the names should already give you hints on what they do to the electron bunches).
Zz.
ardie said:again it looks like everyone is criticising the fellaw instead of showing him what needs to be shown. here is an example of electromagnetic radiation due to moving charges:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipole#Dipole_radiation
zincshow said:Great example of jiggling electrons (sounds a lot like Bremsstrahlung radiation). Do you know one for proton jiggling that does not involve electrons jumping from energy level to energy level?
Electrons emit photons because they are constantly in motion and have energy. When electrons move from a higher energy state to a lower energy state, they release energy in the form of photons.
Electrons have a negative charge and are attracted to the positive nucleus of an atom. However, they also have a wave-like nature and can exist in multiple energy states simultaneously. When an electron jumps from a higher energy state to a lower one, it releases energy in the form of a photon.
The energy of a photon emitted by an electron is determined by the difference in energy between the two energy states. The greater the difference in energy, the higher the energy of the photon emitted.
Yes, electrons can emit photons in any direction. However, the direction is random and depends on the specific energy state the electron is in at the time of emission.
Photon emission is important in various fields of science because it allows for the transfer of energy and information. For example, in electronics, it is used in the creation and transfer of electricity. In astronomy, it is used to study the properties and behavior of celestial bodies.