Electron Question

[Anand Narayan 1G]

Why can an electron only exist on specific energy levels?

[Chem_Mod]

The energy levels accessible by electrons are quantized rather than continuous.

[ThomascnguyenDis1J]

I'm sorry, but could you clarify the difference between having something quantized rather than continuous.

[Rachel-Weisz3C]

I think what they mean is that electrons have a range of values instead of continuous energy levels, implying an unending range, which is why an electron can’t exist in every case but rather a specific or quantized level.

[Kyleigh Follis 2H]

The energy of a particle is quantized, meaning it is restricted to a series of discrete values, called energy levels. According to quantum mechanics, because there are boundary conditions on wave functions and each wavelength corresponds to a different energy energy is quantized. Because an electron in an atom has a wave function that must satisfy certain constraints in 3-D, only some solutions and their corresponding energies are acceptable.

[Manas Jinka]

The energy of the electron is quantized. Thus, it can only take certain discrete energy levels.

[Hannah Padilla 1H]

Since electron energies are quantized (they can only be certain numbers, and not continuous), then their energy levels reflect that