If an electron is independent, it is an individual electron, i.e. not in the orbit of the atom. Is it able to emit light or does the orbit have to do with the production of light?
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Accelerating and decelerating charges produce electromagnetic radiation.
Bremsstrahlung (German pronunciation: [ˈbʁɛmsˌʃtʁaːlʊŋ] ( listen), from bremsen "to brake" and Strahlung "radiation", i.e. "braking radiation" or "deceleration radiation") is electromagnetic radiation produced by the deceleration of a charged particle when deflected by another charged particle, typically an electron by an atomic nucleus. The moving particle loses kinetic energy, which is converted into a photon, thus satisfying the law of conservation of energy.
The electromagnetic radiation emitted when charged particles are accelerated radially (a ⊥ v) is called synchrotron radiation. It is produced, for example, in synchrotrons using bending magnets, undulators and/or wigglers
also cyclotron radiation
Cyclotron radiation is electromagnetic radiation emitted by accelerating charged particles deflected by a magnetic field
All these radiations have a continuous spectrum, in contrast to the radiation coming from atomic energy level transitions: electrons falling from an excited level to a lower energy level and a photon of specific energy emitted.
anna v
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1The other posts says no.How much is the possibility we could have independent electrons emit light? – Sohaib Sheikh Apr 02 '16 at 18:38
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2I do not understand your question. It is a well known result of the Maxwell equations that accelerated or decelerated charges radiate. The electrons can be independent of atoms, but interacting somehow with electric or magnetic fields so as to be accelerated. The other answer talks of oscillations, which also have acceleration/deceleration, and are seen in the "wigglers" in my quotes. – anna v Apr 02 '16 at 18:53
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1continued, energy conservation is accomodated by taking energy from the field or giving out photons. there is no problem. A noninteracting particle ofcourse will keep its momentum and energy and will not radiate. Please read the links in my answer . – anna v Apr 02 '16 at 19:13
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Free electrons can produce electromagnetic radiation i.e light, if they are made to oscillate. The oscillating electric field produced by the electron will create a perpendicularly oscillating magnetic field which will combine to produce light with the frequency of vibration of the electron. An electron returning to a lower energy level from an excited state also produces light in order to lose the "extra" energy it had in its excited state. But that is not relevant to the way a vibrating free electron can produce light.
Chryron
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Do you have a link to an experiment ,which shows this can be done. I doubt this is possible.I think there is a dependency with the orbit of the atom to emit light.The energy level serve as an efficient way to produce light.
Oscillating electrons should produce light.But i doubt free electrons can do it.
– Sohaib Sheikh Apr 02 '16 at 18:38 -
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No, it would violate both Conservation of Energy and Conversation of Momentum, this is without using Quantum Theory. A third law is Conversation of Angular Momentum, an electron has spin of 1/2 while a photon has spin of 1.
Electron and positron can annhilate producing 2 photons if their spins cancel, or 3 if they are parallel. In a Centre of Mass frame it is easy to see how energy and momentum are conserved.
Arif Burhan
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2this answer should be qualified as "an electron with no interactions at a steady velocity v" will not radiate. Of course this excludes the last paragraph where the electron interacts with a positron. An accelerated/decelerated electron balances energy and momentum and spin with the departing photons it radiates. – anna v Apr 03 '16 at 03:05