Excitation of an atom

[melissa_dis4K]

This may be very simple, but I am trying to understand why it is that when an atom is excited it gains energy? Is there an easier visual way for me to understand this?

[Caitlin_Murphy_3C]

When an atom becomes excited, an electron in that atom moves to an outer shell (a higher n value). The higher the n value, aka the further away it is from the nucleus, the more energy that electron (and atom) has. Hope this helps!