Quantum Jumps Explained
Why do electrons jump instead of sliding?
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Question 1 of 2Electron energy inside an atom comes in...
The story
Quarky tries to park an electron halfway between two energy levels, and it simply refuses. Inside an atom, electrons can only stand on certain steps, like a ladder with no space between rungs. To move, an electron swallows or spits out exactly the right packet of light and jumps in one instant. Those jumps are why atoms glow in their own special colors.
What you'll learn
- Electron energies inside an atom come in fixed steps
- There is no in-between spot on the ladder
- An electron jumps by absorbing or emitting a photon
- The photon carries exactly the energy gap
- Each element glows with its own set of colors
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