I have a quick question about Photons

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In summary, photons are elementary particles that make up light and have no mass. They can be created through various processes and their energy is directly proportional to their frequency. While they cannot be destroyed, they can be absorbed by matter. Photons are also the building blocks of the electromagnetic spectrum, with their different energies and wavelengths determining their place on the spectrum.
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HawkI
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When an electron passes from one atom to another is a photon emitted?
 
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I don't know what you mean by passes to another atom. When an electron make a transition from a higher energy level to a lower energy level, within the atom, then it emits a photon. This photon an energy which is equal to the different of energies between the 2 levels.
 
  • #3
rolotomassi, electrons are exchanged between atoms during chemical processes.

No, as a general rule, photons are not necessary part of an atom-to-atom transport of an electron. The energies involved can be all just be heat energy.
 
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rumborak said:
rolotomassi, electrons are exchanged between atoms during chemical processes.

No, as a general rule, photons are not necessary part of an atom-to-atom transport of an electron. The energies involved can be all just be heat energy.

This energy is manifest as phonons and photons.
 
  • #5
Phonons aren't photons. The OP question is whether every atom-to-atom transfer involves an emitted photon. It doesn't.
 
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Phonons are an emergent phenomena, kind of like a wave in a bathtub. Since an electron is being emitted, I think it would suffice to say that a photon had just been absorbed by an atom, not emitted.
 
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rumborak said:
Phonons aren't photons. The OP question is whether every atom-to-atom transfer involves an emitted photon. It doesn't.

How about that, hu? Yet you were referencing both.
 
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This thread will remain closed. Hawki, if you can frame a more specific question that clearly states what physical scenario you are interested in ("electron passes from one atom to another" is too vague and general), please feel free to start a new thread.
 

FAQ: I have a quick question about Photons

1. What are Photons?

Photons are elementary particles that make up light. They have no mass and travel at the speed of light in a vacuum.

2. How are Photons created?

Photons can be created in various ways, such as through the emission of electrons in atoms, nuclear processes, or the decay of other particles.

3. What is the energy of a Photon?

The energy of a photon is directly proportional to its frequency. This relationship is described by the equation E = hf, where E is energy, h is Planck's constant, and f is frequency.

4. Can Photons be destroyed?

Photons cannot be destroyed, but they can be absorbed by matter. When a photon is absorbed, its energy is transferred to the absorbing material, causing an increase in the energy of its atoms or molecules.

5. How are Photons related to the electromagnetic spectrum?

Photons are the building blocks of the electromagnetic spectrum. They have different energies and wavelengths, which determine their place on the spectrum, from radio waves to gamma rays.

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