Electrons in outermost atom orbitals can jump to orbital with higher or lower energy level {electron transition}| {electronic transition} {transition, electron}, if new orbital is not full. Lower-energy orbital electron acquires energy from photon to go to higher-energy orbital. Higher-energy orbital electron loses energy to photon to fall to lower-energy orbital.
time
Collision, radiation, and other energies can send electron to higher-energy orbital in atom in 10^-12 seconds. Electron takes 10^-8 seconds to return to lower-energy orbital, emitting photon. Electronic transitions are random.
channel
Transition from one energy level to another emits or absorbs photons with quanta. Electronic transition can be direct and take one step {direct channel, transition} or go through intermediate steps {cross channel, transition}.
Electronic transitions naturally happen between orbitals differing by one angular-momentum unit {allowed state}, because photon carries that amount.
Transitions take longer to happen between certain orbits {forbidden state}|, because they differ by several angular-momentum units and one photon can carry only one unit.
5-Physics-Matter-Atom-Wavelength Change
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Date Modified: 2022.0225