How close must the wavelength of a photon be for an atom to absorb it?

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SUMMARY

The absorption of a photon by an atom occurs when the photon's wavelength is closely aligned with the energy required for an electron transition between orbitals. Specifically, if the photon possesses energy equal to or greater than the energy difference between the electron cloud orbitals, the electron can be excited to a higher energy level. If the photon energy is insufficient, the electron remains in its original state and does not absorb the light. This phenomenon is rooted in the principles of quantum mechanics and the quantization of energy levels within atoms.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of quantum mechanics principles
  • Familiarity with atomic structure and electron orbitals
  • Knowledge of photon energy and wavelength relationships
  • Basic grasp of light-matter interaction
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the relationship between photon energy and wavelength using the equation E = hc/λ
  • Explore the concept of electron transitions in atomic physics
  • Learn about the quantization of energy levels in different elements
  • Investigate the implications of photon absorption in spectroscopy techniques
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Students of physics, researchers in quantum mechanics, and professionals in fields related to atomic and molecular physics will benefit from this discussion.

jailbait
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When a photon has a wavelength close to the energy needed for an electron jump in an atom, the atom will absorb the photon. How close must the wavelength be to the energy required for the atom to still absorb it?
 
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Other members correct me if am wrong but I believe most photon energies are absorbed the electron. Most times the photon has not enough energy to excite the electron to an upper energy level, so the electron does not move and absolves the light.
If the photon has equal or more energy than the energy difference of the electron cloud orbitals the electron is excited up where it imminently comes back down and remit the photon.
 
jailbait said:
When a photon has a wavelength close to the energy needed for an electron jump in an atom, the atom will absorb the photon. How close must the wavelength be to the energy required for the atom to still absorb it?

Exact, photons arise from complementary quantization phenomena
 

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