How does the photon absorption process work in atoms?

[caybo]

What is the process through which photons are absorbed/emitted from an atom?

Also... One of the threads i visited first was this:
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=76246"

Post number 11, the one by Zoobyshoe explaining what Claude meant by the rope analogy using a billiard ball analogy, arises 2 questions:

1) Please explain how this works, the process through which the photon 'perturbs' the electric field without exciting the atom

2) Once the Medium is 'perturbed' and sticking to the billiard analogy, it reaches the last ball, how does it then Release the momentum of the atom that doesn't have an excited electron, and become a wave again

Of course, that must be only for if it stops becoming a wave once it perturbs the electric field. But if it does not stop being a wave while the field is perturbed, then i must misunderstand the analogy, or am missing something. Then if it maintains being a wave, even while the atom is perturbed, then how does the wave slow down? So therefore I surmise it must not be a wave during the "perturbation."

Anyone know?

 

[caybo]

The very first line of my post may be misconstrued to seem irritatingly simple. (Don't judge!)

Well, it's not. What I meant on the very first line I wrote, was quite deep, at least for my knowledge, I know a photon of a correct frequency can excite an electron- it absorbs it. How does it absorb it? What is the process through which it does this? How can we know for sure? Is it all just a commonly believed, untestable theory?

 

[denian]

The process of photon absorption in atoms is a fundamental aspect of quantum mechanics. When an atom absorbs a photon, it means that the energy of the photon is transferred to the atom, causing one of its electrons to move from a lower energy state to a higher energy state. This process is known as excitation.

The absorption of a photon by an atom can be explained through the wave-particle duality of light. A photon is a particle of light that carries a specific amount of energy. When it interacts with an atom, it acts as a wave and its energy is absorbed by the electron in the atom.

To answer your first question, the process of perturbing the electric field without exciting the atom is known as virtual excitation. This means that the electron in the atom is not permanently excited, but rather temporarily perturbed by the photon. This perturbation of the electron's energy level is what allows the photon to be absorbed without exciting the atom.

In the billiard ball analogy, the photon can be seen as a cue ball that hits a line of stationary billiard balls. The cue ball transfers its energy to the first ball, causing it to move and then passes its energy to the next ball in line. Similarly, the photon transfers its energy to the electron in the atom, causing it to move to a higher energy state.

To answer your second question, once the medium (the atom) is perturbed, it can release the energy it absorbed by emitting a photon. This is known as spontaneous emission and it occurs when the electron in the atom returns to its original, lower energy state. This process of absorption and emission is what allows atoms to interact with light and is the basis for many technologies, such as lasers.

It is important to note that during the perturbation and subsequent emission of a photon, the wave-particle duality of light is maintained. The photon behaves as both a wave and a particle throughout the process. The slowing down of the wave occurs when the photon interacts with the medium (the atom), but it still maintains its wave-like properties.

In conclusion, the process of photon absorption in atoms is a complex phenomenon that can be explained through the principles of quantum mechanics. It involves the transfer of energy from a photon to an electron in an atom, causing it to be temporarily excited. This process is essential for understanding how light interacts with matter and is a key aspect of modern physics.