Does a photon that has been absorbed still exist?

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The discussion centers on the nature of photon absorption and emission in quantum mechanics, specifically regarding bosons. When an electron in an atom absorbs a photon, it transitions to a higher energy level, effectively 'destroying' the original photon. Upon emission of a photon as the electron returns to a lower energy level, a new photon is created, which is not the same as the absorbed photon. This process illustrates the annihilation and creation of bosonic particles, confirming that photons are stable particles that do not decay into other particles spontaneously.

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AlexanderRios
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I am trying to understand what is meant by the phrase 'absorbed and emitted bosons'. Is it the same as destroyed and created? Suppose we have an electron in an atom at energy-level1. The electron 'absorbs' a photon (its kinetic energy) and is put into energy-level3. Does the photon still exist or has it been destroyed? Then the electron emits a photon of a different color and drops to energy level2 (it has lost some of the kinetic energy it had). Can we say that photon was the same as the original photon? Then the electron emits a photon of a yet again different color and drops back to energy level1. Have these photons been created and destroyed? Is bosonic absorption and emission the same as destruction of bosonic particles and creation of the bosonic particles, to anf from kinetic energy? And finally why do we say that photons are stable particles (do not decay into other particles)? Is it because they decay to kinetic energy?
 
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Yes, absorption and emission is in fact annihilation and creation of particles out of energy.
And when we say a particle is stable, we mean it won't be spontaneously decayed to other particles.
 
Thanks Shyan.
 

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