## How do we know that an electron can't be between an energy level?

H-Atom ($E_{n}=-\frac{hR}{n^{2}}$)

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### How do we know that an electron can't be between an energy level?

Why do energy levels have to be integers without decimals. For instance, the principle quantum number of an electron moves from energy level n=1 to n=2 when it absorbs light. Why couldn't this electron have moved to n=1.5? How do we know energy levels exist?

Chem_Mod
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### Re: How do we know that an electron can't be between an energy level?

This is the basis of quantum mechanics, where the values are only discrete values, thus the "quantum" part. The energy of the photon must match the same energy to raise that electron to the next energy level, or else if it is lower or higher the photon will just pass through thus not being absorbed.

nicknavejas1B
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### Re: How do we know that an electron can't be between an energy level?

I may have missed this in lecture but can the electrons change levels?

Yen Ho Chou 1D
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### Re: How do we know that an electron can't be between an energy level?

they can only change levels when they get the exact amount of energy