Transition states of electron in atom

[astro2cosmos]

as we know when a particular energy is given to a neutral atom an electron from ground state jump to upper state (absorbing the energy). and that excited electron after sometime by releasing energy jump again to its ground state.
my confusion is that firstly does this transition of electron occurs only in neutral atom, what happen if the atom is ionsed one? , secondly why there is need to jump from excited state to ground state since the electron has more energy than ealrier?

 

[alxm]

Yes, ions absorb as well.

Second question.. Um, basic thermodynamics?

 

[astro2cosmos]

Yes, ions absorb as well.

Second question.. Um, basic thermodynamics?

what from "basic thermodynamics" to jump ?

 

[alxm]

Basic thermodynamics: Things tend to go towards lower energy. Your post seemed to imply the opposite.

 

[astro2cosmos]

Basic thermodynamics: Things tend to go towards lower energy. Your post seemed to imply the opposite.

ok.
so does it apply to ionized atom also means since an ionized atom need to release or absorb an electron to become neutral, so if we provide energy to that ionized atom than it should absorb that and by doing so Can that atom become neutral?

 

[johng23]

You're confusing absorbing energy (in the form of a photon) with gaining charge, by trasnfer of electrons in a chemical reaction.

In absorption, a photon provides energy only, but no charge. An electron can absorb the energy and go to an excited state, but unless you're talking about a high energy photon like an x-ray, the electron doesn't leave the atom. No charge is transferred. A neutral atom is still neutral, and an ion is still an ion.

Charge transfer is a totally different process. You shouldn't say that an ion needs to release or "absorb" an electron to become neutral, because that confuses things. In that case, the electron just needs to transfer, it doesn't need to absorb any energy.

 

[astro2cosmos]

You're confusing absorbing energy (in the form of a photon) with gaining charge, by trasnfer of electrons in a chemical reaction.

In absorption, a photon provides energy only, but no charge. An electron can absorb the energy and go to an excited state, but unless you're talking about a high energy photon like an x-ray, the electron doesn't leave the atom. No charge is transferred. A neutral atom is still neutral, and an ion is still an ion.

Charge transfer is a totally different process. You shouldn't say that an ion needs to release or "absorb" an electron to become neutral, because that confuses things. In that case, the electron just needs to transfer, it doesn't need to absorb any energy.

ok. but my confusion is still for:
why there is need to jump from excited state to ground state since the electron has more energy than earlier? it is only because of what above thermo. said? or anything else?

 

[johng23]

It's like the previous poster said, basic thermo. Systems always seek the lowest energy state.

I'm not sure what gave you the opposite idea, but if you know what it is, you should post it because that's an important issue to get straight.

 

[astro2cosmos]

It's like the previous poster said, basic thermo. Systems always seek the lowest energy state.

I'm not sure what gave you the opposite idea, but if you know what it is, you should post it because that's an important issue to get straight.

my thought is that when we apply a very high energy to an ionised atom can there is any probability of production of charge so that this ion become a neutral one?
is there any way to transfer an ion to neutral atom by any way by suppling any form of energy?

 

[johng23]

It doesn't really work that way. You can ionize an atom with high energy - if you provide enough energy that the electrons' kinetic energy is greater than their binding energy, they will escape the atom. You can only remove electrons that way though, so you can't make an ionized atom neutral.

 

[astro2cosmos]

It doesn't really work that way. You can ionize an atom with high energy - if you provide enough energy that the electrons' kinetic energy is greater than their binding energy, they will escape the atom. You can only remove electrons that way though, so you can't make an ionized atom neutral.

can this process be reverisible?