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In order to take an electron out of a certain energy level in an atom, that electron must absorb a photon with an exact value of energy corresponding to that specific level. How is this possible given the fact that this would require infinite precision ? For example, an electron might require 10.12345eV, but a photon might have 10.123456789eV.

So how does any interaction ever takes place ?

Abc2000ro
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1 Answers1

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One does not need infinite precision, I believe due to energy-time uncertainty. You cannot determine the frequency of a wave if it only lasts a finite time. See Fermi's golden rule for the transition rate.

But there are examples of extremely narrow resonances, see the Mößbauer effect.

Martin Ueding
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