Why do excited atoms emit light?

When an atom is in an excited state, the electron can drop all the way to the ground state in one go, or stop on the way in an intermediate level. Electrons do not stay in excited states for very long – they soon return to their ground states, emitting a photon with the same energy as the one that was absorbed.

Why are colors produced when electrons become excited?

When the atoms of a gas or vapor are excited, for instance by heating or by applying an electrical field, their electrons are able to move from their ground state to higher energy levels. This energy corresponds to particular wavelengths of light, and so produces particular colors of light.

What do excited electrons emit?

Eventually, the “excited” electron loses the extra energy by emitting electromagnetic radiation of lower energy and, in doing so, falls back into its original and stable energy level.

Is light emitted when an atom is excited or de excites?

Light is emitted when an electron: makes a transition to a lower energy level. The electron in an atom is boosted to a higher orbit and excited. When the electron returns to its original state, it de-excites and emits a photon of light.

Why does an excited electron returns to the ground state?

Excited electrons return to ground state to regain its stability in terms of energy and momentum. When electron is exited from its stable situation, by absorbing energy given from outside, first its momentum do increase ( according to nh /2π ) . But electron no longer hold this excess momentum & energy.

What has to happen for excited atoms to release photons?

When the electron changes levels, it decreases energy and the atom emits photons. The photon is emitted with the electron moving from a higher energy level to a lower energy level. The energy of the photon is the exact energy that is lost by the electron moving to its lower energy level.

Why does an excited electron naturally relax back down?

Excited states are therefore unstable – without constant energy input to maintain the higher energy level, electrons will quickly relax back to ground state (this is sometimes called decay; note that this is not the same as radioactive decay) .