Question

Does anyone know what happens when an atom is in an excited state?

Answer 1

Electrons gain energy and jump to higher shells because of their higher potential energy they prefer going to shells with higher energy.

Answer 2

so all of them jump to the next energy level?

Answer 3

No, not all of them.

It actually depends a lot on the energy of the atom itself in its excited state.


If this new energy is greater than the threshold of the shell, it ejects as a photoelectron with a certain kinetic energy. But all this, is in terms of the photoelectric effect.

Answer 4

Okay. Thank you!