Analogy for Exciting Electrons?

[JakeSaum_1A]

When moving an electron from n=1 to n=2, would it be good to think to the E=hv as a bridge to get from one energy level to another?

[Faaizah Arshad 1H]

Yes, I think that's a great analogy.

If the bridge is not long enough (the incoming photon does not have a high enough frequency), then the electron cannot walk from n=1 to n=2.
If the bridge is long enough (the photon has a high enough frequency) and matches the exact difference from one energy level to another, then the electron can move from n=1 to n=2.

[Kat Stahl 2K]

A bridge is a really good way to look at! Thank you for coming up with that! I found a YouTube video that supports that and kind of just goes into more depth about the process if anyone is having trouble understanding it like I was. "In order for a transition to occur, the energy of the photon absorbed must be greater than or equal to the difference in energy between the 2 energy levels. However, once the electron is in the excited, higher energy level, it is in a more unstable position than it was when it was in its relaxed, ground state. As such, the electron will quickly fall back down to the lower energy level—and it doing so, it emits a photon with an energy equal to the difference in energy levels" (https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap- ... and-matter). And here is the YouTube video that goes along with this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jyfi28i928 . Hope this helps!

[Claire_Kim_2F]

I also thought that E=hv is the bridge but it also implies that it can stay between levels which is definitely not true it can only be at like n=1 or n=2. So just being cautious of that implication and you should be good.