For chem we're going over something I don't understand that well. Can anyone help? It's how electron movement makes colors of the spectrum? Thanks! ♥
2006-11-16 08:15:43 · 4 answers · asked by nicolemoose91 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
when electrons get energy or heat, they use that energy to move from their ground state to their excited state.
their excited state is not very stable, so they move back down in energy to their ground state.
they release the energy in the form of a color when they return to their ground state.
the amount of energy the electron absorbs (and then releases) determines the color. purple has the most energy, and red has the least.
i hope this was helpful!
2006-11-20 03:44:26 · answer #1 · answered by Lo 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
While all electrons move at the same speed, their composition gives off different degrees of heat. The colors of the spectrum do that as well and that is why we can determine the composition of each atom. It is like each of us have a fingerprint we can call our own or a DNA pattern.
2006-11-16 16:26:14 · answer #2 · answered by George G 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You see when an atom gains energy an electron will jump up to a higher orbital where it is very unstable so hence will move back down to its original orbital or known as the ground state. When it moves down to its ground state it releases energy in a wave that is able to been seen by the human eye as colour.
2006-11-16 16:26:24 · answer #3 · answered by gordon_benbow 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Here is a valuable address for any chemist.
www.docott.com He is Doctor Mark Ott at Jackson Community College Professor of Chemistry and has extreme details that the average text book won't cover. Excellant source of material. Check it out
2006-11-16 16:23:09 · answer #4 · answered by Laes 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋