the characteristic bright-line spectrum of sodium is produced when its electrons what?

Answer 1

Move from a higher energy orbital back to their "ground state", giving off the difference in energy in the form of photons (with a wavelength of 589nm, which looks orangey-yellow).

This only happens after something puts extra energy IN to a sodium atom, though, forcing the outer shell electrons to move to a higher energy orbital...

Answer 2

As said above, first the electrons are excited to a higher energy level. But they only produce the color when they return back to a lower energy state and release the extra energy in the form of a light wave in the visible spectrum

Answer 3

in case you look up on the nighttime time sky, you're literally not waiting to particularly tell for particular. besides the indisputable fact that, the distinction between a celebrity and a planet is that a celebrity provides out simple at the same time as a planet would not. A planet reflects simple from different stars interior of sight.

Answer 4

...Descend from their excited states, emitting characteristic yellow light of quantized wavelength/frequency. Hey! Anything can get the electrons up there. It's what happens when they're coming down.

Answer 5

... are excited.