When electrons jump why photon

[jd12345]

When electrons jump from one shell to another energy has to be released right? Why is only light energy released? Why not other forms of energy?

 

[mathman]

The energy released depends on the energy difference of the electron levels. The photons released have a wide range of energy, not just light.

 

[questionpost]

The energy released depends on the energy difference of the electron levels. The photons released have a wide range of energy, not just light.

I think he means why not kinetic energy. Light can include all frequencies, infrared light, UV-light, even gamma or radio light but we don't know of things that see in those spectrums.

 

[IttyBittyBit]

I think what jd12345 means is: why not sound or other kinds of energy.

Answer: because they have electric charge.

 

[lugita15]

I think jd12345 is asking why photons and not other particles? It's because electric charge leads to the electron field being coupled to the electromagnetic field, whereas it is not coupled with other fields. As to what determines which quantum fields couple with which, there might be a deep field theory explanation for it but it might be easier to just think of it as a fact of the universe.

 

[jd12345]

yeah, i think there might be a deeper reason for this stuff. Hard to digest it without knowing "why".

 

[mathman]

yeah, i think there might be a deeper reason for this stuff. Hard to digest it without knowing "why".

Many of the replies include guessing what you meant. It would clarify things if you answered that yourself.

 

[questionpost]

Many of the replies include guessing what you meant. It would clarify things if you answered that yourself.

If it helps, you can sort of think of it like plucking a sting. If you picture it in slow motion, the motion of you pulling it up an energy level and then releasing it so that it vibrates and returns to it's normal state makes a wave that travels across the wire.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHcse1jJAto&feature=related

kind of like that.

How scientists know that the magnetic and electric oscillations are perfectly perpendicular to each other is something I don't know.