The discussion explores the relationship between atomic size and the absorption of photons, as well as the potential implications for gravitons. Participants examine whether the size or mass of an atom influences its interaction with photons, particularly in terms of electron excitation.
Participants express differing views on the relevance of atomic size and mass in photon absorption, indicating that multiple competing perspectives remain without a clear consensus.
Participants highlight the complexity of atomic structure and the nature of particle interactions, suggesting that assumptions about size and mass may not fully capture the underlying physics.
how about electrons? Does the number of electrons change the way a photon gets absorbed?Nugatory said:An atom isn’t a little round ball so we want to be cautious about using words like “size” - there’s a notion of atomic size but it’s not quite like what we mean when we talk about the size of a billiard ball.
Whether a photon is absorbed or scattered by an atom depends on how it interacts with the individual charged particles that make up the atom, and these are close to (in the case of the electron exactly, as far as we know) point particles. So the answer to your question is somewhere between “that’s not a good way of thinking about it” and “no”.