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Atoms can absorb and emit electromagnetic radiation - OCR Gateway - GCSE Physics - Question 22 - 2019 - Paper 1
Question 22
Atoms can absorb and emit electromagnetic radiation. (a) Describe two possible effects on an electron in an atom when it absorbs electromagnetic radiation. 1. 2.... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Atoms can absorb and emit electromagnetic radiation - OCR Gateway - GCSE Physics - Question 22 - 2019 - Paper 1
Step 1
Describe two possible effects on an electron in an atom when it absorbs electromagnetic radiation. 1.
Answer
When an electron in an atom absorbs electromagnetic radiation, one possible effect is that it can gain energy, leading it to move to a higher energy level or orbital. This transition occurs as the energy from the absorbed radiation excites the electron, allowing it to overcome the binding energy that keeps it in its current state.
Step 2
Describe two possible effects on an electron in an atom when it absorbs electromagnetic radiation. 2.
Answer
Another effect of an electron absorbing electromagnetic radiation is that it may become ionized if the energy absorbed is sufficient enough to completely remove the electron from the atom. This process can result in the atom becoming a positively charged ion, which can then participate in further chemical reactions.
Step 3
Explain why Alpha radiation is not emitted in the processes in part (a).
Answer
Alpha radiation is primarily a result of nuclear decay processes, where an unstable nucleus emits alpha particles. In the processes described in part (a), the absorption of electromagnetic radiation involves electronic transitions rather than transformations within the atomic nucleus. Thus, since alpha radiation pertains to changes in the nucleus and not in the electrons or their energy levels, it is not emitted during these processes.