Question

When the electron in an atom goes from a high energy state to a low one, what occurs?

Answer 1

When an electron in an atom goes from a high energy state to a low energy state, it emits a photon, releasing the energy difference between the two states as electromagnetic radiation.

Step-by-step explanation:

When an electron in an atom transitions from a high energy state to a low energy state, it emits energy in the form of a photon. This process occurs because electrons seek to be in the ground state, which is the state of lowest possible energy. If an atom absorbs energy, the electron can move to a higher-energy orbit, an excited state, but this state is not stable. As the electron returns to the ground state, the energy difference is released as electromagnetic radiation, observable in atomic emission spectra. This phenomenon is governed by the law of conservation of energy, which stipulates that the energy emitted is equal to the energy previously absorbed to reach the higher state.

Answer 2

An atom emits a photon when an electron transitions from a high (excited) to a low (ground) energy state, thereby releasing energy corresponding to the difference in energy levels.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the electron in an atom transitions from a high energy state to a low one, the atom emits a photon, thereby reducing its energy. The high energy state of the electron is referred to as an excited state, while the low energy state is known as the ground state. The difference in energy levels between these states corresponds to the energy of the emitted photon, and these transitions are quantized, meaning they occur in distinct steps.

An atom in its ground state is at its lowest energy level. When it absorbs energy, it can move to a higher energy orbit, transitioning to an excited state. Once the atom emits a photon to return to the ground state, it releases the energy it previously absorbed. This process aligns with the law of conservation of energy, which states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.