Concept Question about Excitation of Atoms

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the excitation of mercury atoms by electrons and photons. An electron can strike a mercury atom and transfer a portion of its kinetic energy, causing the atom to transition to a higher energy level. In contrast, a photon with the same energy as the initial kinetic energy of the electron does not excite the atom because the energy comparison is not made against the energy required for the atomic transition. This distinction clarifies why the photon fails to induce excitation.

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Let's say, for ease of reference, an electron strikes a mercury atom with just enough energy such that this mercury atom is excited to another energy level. What would happen if a photon struck this atom with the same amount of energy? I remember encourtering a True/False problem like this in a textbook, and the answer was that it won't be excited. How is this so?
 
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It sounds like what the question intends is that the electron has a certain amount of kinetic energy, but only transferred a portion of it to an atomic electron to cause its upward "transition" (the colliding electron continues on with reduced KE). The photon's energy is being compared to the electron's initial kinetic energy, rather than the energy required for the transition. Anyway, that's how I'm understanding this.

I guess it isn't clear what is referred to in the question by the phrase "same amount of energy". The same as what?
 

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