[Q]Queation about Photon and Electric discharge.

[good_phy]

Hi, I just wander what hapeens if photon which energy is higher than difference of adjacent

energy levels collide with atom? How does Excess energy go? transmiting atom by form of

photon or giving motional energy to the atom?


Second Question is What does process ocurrs when enough voltage to make dielectric

breakdown imposes to gas?

I know electric force imposing positive and negative charge 'tear' atom and separate

opposite charge, but in aspect of energy, just another external potential is added to the

atom and i can't image tearing atom in this view.

How can you explain tearing atom with aspect of energy, not force?

 

[alxm]

Hi, I just wander what hapeens if photon which energy is higher than difference of adjacent

energy levels collide with atom? How does Excess energy go? transmiting atom by form of

photon or giving motional energy to the atom?

Depends on what kind of transition you're talking about. E.g. if you're talking about ionizing radiation, which ejects an electron entirely, then surplus energy can go into the kinetic energy of the electron, which is continuous once the thing is free.

But in most cases, the photon simply won't be absorbed. Just look at some transparent material like glass, which will absorb most IR, but is transparent to visual light which is higher in energy.

Second Question is What does process ocurrs when enough voltage to make dielectric
breakdown imposes to gas?
(...)
How can you explain tearing atom with aspect of energy, not force?

Well, force and energy are always related. But what happens is that, between your two electrodes, you always have a probability the electrons will fly across space from one to the other. The higher the voltage, the higher the probability that will happen. For low voltages the probability, and thus current, is practically zero. But once they do start flying across, they hit and ionize the gas (ejecting electrons) which in turn makes it easier for other electrons to pass. In other words, the relatively unusual situation that resistance decreases with current. (Which is why fluorescent lights need an electrical ballast)

 

[Entropia]

I would approach this question by first explaining the concept of photon energy and how it relates to the energy levels of an atom. A photon is a particle of light that carries energy, and its energy is directly related to its frequency. When a photon with energy higher than the difference between two adjacent energy levels of an atom collides with that atom, it can cause the atom to absorb the excess energy and move to a higher energy level. This process is called excitation.

Now, to answer the question of how excess energy is transmitted to the atom, it depends on the specific situation. In some cases, the photon may simply be absorbed by the atom, causing it to gain energy and move to a higher energy level. In other cases, the photon may interact with the atom's electrons, causing them to move and transfer the excess energy to the atom.

As for the second question, when enough voltage is applied to a gas, it can cause dielectric breakdown. This occurs when the electric field becomes strong enough to strip electrons from the gas molecules, creating ions. These ions can then move and collide with other molecules, releasing more electrons and creating a chain reaction that leads to a discharge of electricity.

In terms of energy, dielectric breakdown can be thought of as the energy required to overcome the binding energy of the gas molecules and create ions. This energy can be supplied by the external voltage, and it is what ultimately causes the gas to "tear" and create a discharge.

It is important to understand that energy and force are closely related concepts, and in this case, the force of the electric field is what provides the energy necessary for dielectric breakdown. So, while it may seem like just another external potential being added to the atom, it is actually the force of the electric field that is causing the tearing of the atom through the transfer of energy.