Question

What type of spectrum is produced when electromagnetic radiation is emitted or absorbed as electrons change energy levels in an atom?

Answer 1

The type of spectrum produced when electromagnetic radiation is emitted or absorbed as electrons change energy levels in an atom is called an atomic spectra. It is the spectrum of frequencies of electromagnetic radiation emitted or absorbed during transitions of electrons between energy levels within an atom.

Answer 2

When electrons in atom interaction with light or photons one of the two process takes place:

1) they can absorb photons of a characteristic wavelength (which depends on the energy difference between two interacting atomic levels) and get excited to a higher energy level

2) or they can jump to a lower energy level and emit photons of the corresponding wavelength.

The type of spectrum produced when electrons in an atom undergo transitions to various levels by absorbing or emitting photons is termed as atomic spectrum.