Zero to Light Speed - Atom's Point of View

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SUMMARY

The discussion addresses the behavior of electrons and photons in a light bulb filament. It establishes that the average velocity of an electron in a conductor is approximately 100,000 meters per second, while photons always travel at the speed of light (c) upon emission. The emission of a photon is clarified as an energy transition of electrons within atoms, rather than a "launching" event from the electron itself. This distinction is crucial for understanding light generation in incandescent bulbs.

PREREQUISITES
  • Basic understanding of atomic structure and electron behavior
  • Familiarity with the concept of electromagnetic radiation
  • Knowledge of the speed of light (c) and its implications in physics
  • Understanding of thermal dynamics in conductive materials
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the principles of quantum mechanics related to electron transitions
  • Study the relationship between temperature and light emission in incandescent materials
  • Explore the concept of electromagnetic radiation and its properties
  • Investigate the differences between incandescent and other types of light sources, such as LEDs
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, electrical engineers, and anyone interested in the principles of light generation and atomic behavior in conductive materials.

what_are_electrons
[SOLVED] Zero to Light Speed - Atom's Point of View

Atoms in a light bulb filament with house current are heated to the point that they readily emit visible light photons.
Three Questions:
1. What is the expected (or virtual) speed of the ELECTRON that emits a photon just as that photon is escaping from the immediate vicinity of the atom that generated that photon?
2. What is the expected (or virtual) speed of a PHOTON as it escapes from the immediate vicinity of the atom that generated that photon?
3. If the photon is accelerated over this atomic-level distance, then what is causing the acceleration?
 
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1. The average velocity of an electron in a conductor is on the order of a hundred thousand meters per second.

2. The photon always travels at c.

3. The photon does not accelerate. It was traveling at c the instant it came into existence.

You seem to think of the emission of a photon as a sort of "launching" event by which a "piece" of the electron is thrust off as a photon. This is not accurate.

- Warren
 
In a light bulb, the electrons (current) heat up the wire. The wire then glows because it is hot. At an atomic level, the photons come from energy transitions of the electrons within the atoms, not specifically the current.
 

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