How do electrons become excited in an atom

In summary, thermal radiation is the energy emitted by matter due to its temperature. This is caused by the random movements of atoms and molecules, which are made up of charged particles that emit electromagnetic radiation. This can be seen in the example of shaking a charge back and forth, which causes the EM field to oscillate and generate photons. This also applies to circular particle accelerators, where particles are forced in a circular path and release radiation. This is due to the fact that accelerating charged particles always produces EM radiation. This phenomenon can be explained by the principle of preserving gauge invariance.
  • #1
Strafespar
47
0
I was wondering why hot objects glow (such as a heated metal), what I found on wiki:
"Thermal radiation is energy emitted by matter as electromagnetic waves due to the pool of thermal energy that all matter possesses that has a temperature above absolute zero. Thermal radiation propagates without the presence of matter through the vacuum of space.[11]

Thermal radiation is a direct result of the random movements of atoms and molecules in matter. Since these atoms and molecules are composed of charged particles (protons and electrons), their movement results in the emission of electromagnetic radiation, which carries energy away from the surface"

Which makes sense for the most part, except the fact of why the objects spontaneously radiate energy..."their movement results in the emission of EM radiation..."<--why?

Thank you to all who reply!
 
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  • #2
When you shake a charge back and forth it causes the EM field to oscillate as well. These oscillations generate photons, aka EM radiation. It is important to note that anytime you accelerate a charged particle it will produce EM radiation. Since changing direction is acceleration, oscillations produce radiation. Another notable example is circular particle accelerators. As the particles are forced in a circular path by the magnetics, they release radiation. Once the speed of the particles reaches a certain point you cannot accelerate them any more as they lose the extra energy too fast by radiating it away.
 
  • #3
Why exactly does it produce EM radiation? Does it have to do with preserving something, such as gauge invariance?
 

1. How do electrons become excited in an atom?

Electrons can become excited in an atom through various methods, such as absorbing energy from heat or light, or through collisions with other particles.

2. What happens when an electron becomes excited?

When an electron becomes excited, it moves to a higher energy level or orbital within the atom. This movement causes the electron to have more potential energy and become unstable.

3. How long do excited electrons stay in their higher energy level?

The length of time that an electron stays in its excited state varies depending on the specific atom and the amount of energy absorbed. Generally, excited electrons will quickly release their excess energy and return to their ground state.

4. What determines the energy level that an electron moves to when excited?

The energy level that an electron moves to when excited is determined by the amount of energy it absorbs. Each energy level has a specific amount of energy associated with it, and an electron can only move to a higher level if it receives enough energy to match that level.

5. Can electrons remain in a permanently excited state?

No, electrons cannot remain in a permanently excited state. They will eventually release their excess energy and return to their ground state, either by emitting a photon of light or through collisions with other particles.

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