The energy of a characteristic photon is
A)equal to the binding energy of the entering electron.
B)equal to the binding energy of the exiting electron.
C)the sum of the binding energy of the outer and inner shells between which the electron dropped.
D)the difference between the binding energy of the outer and inner shells between which the electron dropped.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The energy of a characteristic photon is equal to the difference in binding energy of the outer and inner shells between which the electron dropped. This can be explained by the fact that when an electron drops from a higher energy level to a lower one, it releases energy that appears as a photon. The energy of this photon is equal to the difference in binding energy between the two levels.

The Energy of a Characteristic Photon Is