How can an electron be excited?

[Ian_Lee_1E]

I realize from the photoelectric effect that the electrons are emitted when each photons have enough energy to meet the threshhold.

And I thought professor said that if each photon energy does not meet the quota, then they just go through the atom.

Then, how do electrons get excited?

[Shanna Yu 1C]

Hi!

I'm not sure if I'm reading your question properly, but electrons get excited when they get energy, be it from absorbing photons that come their way or collisions with other atoms/particles (transfer of kinetic energy). They are emitted when the photons match the threshold energy, which will excite them enough to rise to higher levels.

[Andre Fabian 1F]

I realize from the photoelectric effect that the electrons are emitted when each photons have enough energy to meet the threshhold.

And I thought professor said that if each photon energy does not meet the quota, then they just go through the atom.

Then, how do electrons get excited?

Excited electrons occupy a higher energy state (i.e. jumping from n=1 to n=4, etc) after absorbing external energy (a photon, packet of light, collision).

Electrons are photo ejected if the energy absorbed is greater than the work function of the metal the electron is being ejected from.


Hope this helps!
Andre

[Alexandra Ahlschlager 1L]

In the photoelectric effect, an electron will be released if the incoming photon is higher in energy than the threshold energy. If you’re talking about atomic spectra, then an incoming photon must have energy that exactly matches the difference in energy between two energy levels in order for the electron to be excited and move up a level. If it doesn’t match exactly, then it will just go through the atom and the electron will not be excited. Hope this helps a little!

[Shivani Kapur 2J]

As long as the energy from the photon is greater than the energy of the work function, electrons will eject using kinetic energy. These electrons move to higher energy states, gaining energy which makes them excited.

[Allison Li 2F]

"Getting excited" simply means that the electron gained enough energy to occupy, or reside in, a higher energy level. Electrons can "get excited" when absorbing photons.

[Rachel Fox - 3F]

The term "excited" means that an electron absorbed photons and has enough energy to be in a higher energy level. In the photoelectric effect, if the energy of the incoming photon is greater than or equal to the work function, then the electron will be removed from the surface of the metal. If the energy of the photon is not high enough, then the electron will not be emitted from the surface.

In the atomic spectra, if the frequency of the incoming light matches the difference between energy levels of the electron, then the electron will absorb that photon and will be excited and move up energy levels. If the frequency of light does not match the energy difference, then the light will just pass through the atom and not get absorbed.

[Noa Popko 3I]

An electron is excited when it recieves enough energy to move to a higher energy level. All we need to do is give it energy whether with light, thermal energy, etc.