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What if an electromagnetic wave hits a ($\texttt{bounded}$) electron orthogonally? Does it "move" in direction of the wave's electric field vector $\vec{E}$, or opposite? Despite the fact that electrons don't really "move"?

Leon
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    That's an interesting question. In addition, an electromagnetic wave consists of photons. What happens to the photon's momentum? – Charles Tucker 3 Jul 29 '21 at 10:36
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    A free electron, or one bound in an atom? – garyp Jul 29 '21 at 11:01
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    The electric field will give the electron momentum in the direction opposite the direction the electric field. What the electron does with that momentum, will depend how it interacts with its environment. A free electron in space will tend to move in the direction opposite the field (instantaneously), an electron tightly bound to an atom in a crystal may transfer this momentum to phonons in the crystal. – Andrew Jul 29 '21 at 13:48
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    When the resonant standing wave associated with an electron orbital in an atom absorbs the energy of an incoming photon, it transitions to a larger wave pattern. – R.W. Bird Jul 29 '21 at 15:11

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