Is light being emitted or absorbed?

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In summary, the conversation discusses how to determine if light is being absorbed or emitted. The individual had to find the energy and wavelength for different transitions, and determined that positive numbers indicate absorption and negative numbers indicate emission. The concept of ground state and energy levels is also mentioned.
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J-Girl
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is light being emitted or absorbed??

How do I know if light is being absorbed or emitted? I had to find the energy and wavelength of the following transitions, for the first two i ended up with positive numbers, for the last two I ended up with positive numbers
1.1-->2
2.3--4
3.5-->1
4.4-->1
 
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J-Girl said:
How do I know if light is being absorbed or emitted? I had to find the energy and wavelength of the following transitions, for the first two i ended up with positive numbers, for the last two I ended up with positive numbers
1.1-->2
2.3--4
3.5-->1
4.4-->1

Level 1 usually refers to ground state, so energy is absorbed going to a higher number, and emitted when changing to a lower number level.
 
  • #3


thankyou:) my textbook didnt tell me that unfortunately
 

FAQ: Is light being emitted or absorbed?

1. Is light being emitted or absorbed?

Light can either be emitted or absorbed, depending on the situation. Emitted light is created when an object releases energy in the form of photons, while absorbed light is when an object takes in light energy and converts it into another form of energy.

2. What is the difference between emitted and absorbed light?

Emitted light is produced by an object, while absorbed light is taken in by an object. Emitted light can be seen as visible light, while absorbed light may not be visible to the human eye.

3. How does light emission occur?

Light emission occurs when an object gains energy, causing its electrons to move to higher energy levels. As these electrons return to their original energy levels, they release energy in the form of photons, which is seen as light.

4. Can light be both emitted and absorbed at the same time?

Yes, light can be both emitted and absorbed at the same time. This is known as fluorescence, where a material absorbs light of a certain wavelength and emits light of a longer wavelength.

5. How does light absorption affect the color of an object?

The color of an object is determined by the wavelengths of light that it reflects. When light is absorbed by an object, it means that it is not reflected and therefore not seen by the human eye. This can change the color of the object, as only certain wavelengths of light are being reflected.

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