True or False: Electrons in atoms can absorb and emit photons with any amount
The correct answer and explanation is:
Answer: False
Electrons in atoms cannot absorb or emit photons with just any amount of energy. The energy of a photon absorbed or emitted by an electron in an atom is determined by the difference between the electron’s initial and final energy levels, which are quantized. This means that the energy of the photon must match the energy gap between these specific levels.
In an atom, electrons occupy discrete energy levels, or orbitals. These energy levels are quantized, meaning they can only take on certain specific values. When an electron absorbs a photon, it moves to a higher energy level. Conversely, when an electron emits a photon, it drops to a lower energy level. However, the energy of the photon involved in these processes must match the exact difference in energy between the two levels. If the energy of the photon does not correspond to this difference, the electron will not be able to absorb or emit the photon.
This behavior is explained by the quantum theory of atoms. According to this theory, electrons in atoms can only exist in certain allowed energy states. These energy states are not continuous, but rather are discrete. The absorption or emission of light occurs only when an electron transitions between these discrete energy levels.
This concept is key in understanding phenomena like atomic spectra. For example, when an atom is excited and an electron moves to a higher energy state, it will emit light of a particular wavelength (and therefore energy) when it returns to a lower state. The emitted light has very specific wavelengths that correspond to the differences in energy between the allowed levels in the atom, creating a unique atomic spectrum.