The figure below shows a model of an atom.If an electron begins in orbit #1,moves to orbit #4,then moves to orbit #3,and then to orbit #1,how has it interacted with light?
A) It has emitted a high energy photon and absorbed two low energy photons.
B) It has absorbed a high energy photon and emitted two low energy photons.
C) It has absorbed a photon and emitted two photons, all with identical energies.
D) It has emitted a photon and absorbed two photons, all with identical energies.

Question

The figure below shows a model of an atom.If an electron begins in orbit #1,moves to orbit #4,then moves to orbit #3,and then to orbit #1,how has it interacted with light? 
A) It has emitted a high energy photon and absorbed two low energy photons. 
B) It has absorbed a high energy photon and emitted two low energy photons. 
C) It has absorbed a photon and emitted two photons, all with identical energies. 
D) It has emitted a photon and absorbed two photons, all with identical energies.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When an electron moves from a lower energy orbit to a higher energy orbit (in this case from orbit #1 to orbit #4), it absorbs a photon of energy equal to the difference in energy between the two orbits. When it moves from a higher energy orbit to a lower energy orbit (in this case from orbit #4 to orbit #3 and then to orbit #1), it emits photons equal to the difference in energy between the orbits. Therefore, in this scenario, the electron has absorbed a high energy photon to move from orbit #1 to orbit #4, and then emitted two low energy photons to move from orbit #4 to orbit #3 and then from orbit #3 to orbit #1.

The Figure Below Shows a Model of an Atom