Excitation of an electron

Question

What effect does a light ray cause on an electron to make it excited. How a electron absorb energy?

My question is how a electron get excited from a proton or light ray — Rithik, Jul 13 '17 at 18:15

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 13 '17 at 17:52

3

It is not an electron, but the atom it is associated with that absorbs energy. A free electron is incapable of absorbing a photon due to the requirements of energy and momentum conservation. In an atom, however, an electron can absorb a photon and jump from one bound state to another (or leave the atom completely).

answered Jul 13 '17 at 17:52

Lewis Miller

6,004

But how a electron can absorb energy – Rithik Jul 13 '17 at 17:55

Excitation of an electron

1 Answers1