Electrons Jumping: What Does it Mean?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of electrons "jumping" between energy levels in an atom, exploring the implications of this behavior in the context of quantum mechanics. Participants examine whether this phenomenon relates to tunneling, the nature of wave functions, and the definitions surrounding these concepts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question what is meant by an electron "jumping" between energy levels, specifically whether this implies tunneling.
  • Others suggest that electrons change energy levels by emitting or absorbing photons, which accounts for the energy difference.
  • A participant proposes that the electron's transition is related to its wave distribution as described by the Schrödinger equation, raising the question of whether this constitutes tunneling.
  • Another participant clarifies that while electrons do not transition smoothly between states, this does not equate to tunneling, as tunneling involves overcoming barriers.
  • One participant emphasizes that atomic transitions are instantaneous jumps rather than motions through space, contrasting this with the concept of tunneling.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the relationship between electron transitions and tunneling, with no consensus reached on whether these phenomena are equivalent or distinct.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved questions regarding the definitions of tunneling and atomic transitions, as well as the implications of the Schrödinger equation in this context.

nuclear420
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What exactly do the mean when an electron "jumps" from an energy level to another energy level in an atom. Do they mean tunneling?
 
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nuclear420 said:
What exactly do the mean when an electron "jumps" from an energy level to another energy level in an atom.

They change their energy by emitting or absorbing a photon to make up the difference.

Do they mean tunneling?

Tunneling through what?
 
Well, i was under the assumption that the electron can exist in certain wave distributions according to the Schrödinger equation. Since it can't smoothly transition (or can it?), because its not a solution to the Schrödinger equation, it has to change its wave distribution instantly. So would this be a form of tunneling?
 
I believe this is where the term "quantum leap" originated. The electron cannot smoothly transition, and so it goes from one energy state to another without passing through the space in between. This is not actual "tunneling" since, as JTBell points out, tunneling must pass through some obstacle or barrier. Also included within the definition of tunneling is the fact that a particle must overcome an obstruction that it does not have sufficient energy to surmount, if it were a classical particle.

However, the two phenomena are similar, and that the electron seems to go from one orbital to another without passing through the intervening space.
 
nuclear420 said:
Well, i was under the assumption that the electron can exist in certain wave distributions according to the Schrödinger equation. Since it can't smoothly transition (or can it?), because its not a solution to the Schrödinger equation, it has to change its wave distribution instantly. So would this be a form of tunneling?

No, there's no tunneling here.

First of all, I'm not sure why you originally posted this in the classical physics forum. It has been moved into the Quantum Physics forum.

Secondly, in tunneling, the particle DOES go through the classical forbidden region. In an atomic transition, the atom (and electron in question) does not really make a "motion" across from one state to another. It is, as far as we know, an instant "jump".

Zz.
 

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