Atom and Sublevels: Quantum Physics Questions Answered

[scientifico]

Hi, I've some doubt about quanistic physicist (aren't homework I read this stuff as an hobby) , could you help me?

1)if the electrons of a gas, for example, emit energy only when they go down level, then to get the atomic spectrum should I first give energy and then wait until electrons go down from their level?
2)What are sublevels? the electrons are not only arranged in levels?

thank you!

 

[alxm]

1) Yes, you can do that. That's called absorption spectroscopy.

2) Because if you look at the spectrum of an atom, you see a lot of lines that are far apart, and other ones that are bunched close together. So close, that they were originally thought to be a single line.
So this was interpreted as sub-levels, so to speak, within the 'big' levels represented by the big gaps in the lines. It turned out this was a physically meaningful thing, because the levels here represent different the different amounts of momentum the electrons could have, and the sub-levels came about from the different ways that momentum could be divided into linear momentum and angular momentum.

 

[lightarrow]

1)if the electrons of a gas, for example, emit energy only when they go down level, then to get the atomic spectrum should I first give energy and then wait until electrons go down from their level?

Certainly. Usually those times are of the order of 10^-8 s. Do you have the patience of waiting for that?

2)What are sublevels? the electrons are not only arranged in levels?

I wish it were so easy...