Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Mid Term Review #11

11) What is an excited state for an atom?  How do they occur?

- An excited state of an atom is when an atom gains energy or electrons and jumps an energy level.  This state is usually unstable however.  These occur when energy is gained by an atom.  An example of this is neon lights.  They produce light because the atoms in the Neon, when given energy through an electric current, become excited.  Yes quite exited indeed.

5 comments:

  1. Paxton you're response was very good and I liked how you provided an example however you might want to add what is emitted when the atom is in the excited state. For example you might say an excited state is an atom with excess energy. An excited atom can release some or all of its energy or all of its excess energy by emitting a photon, or a wavepacket of light. You could also add how an electron can become excited. This can occur through a transfer or heat, light, electricity, sunlight etc!

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  2. Great answer, but I would make sure to mention that an excited state involves elevation of energy above and arbitrary level of energy (i.e. the ground state). I feel it is important to make this connection between the excited and the ground state. I would also mention that as an atom returns to the ground state it gives of energy, usually in the form of light (I believe thats how neon lights and such function)

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  3. Paxton your answer was very good however i would mention the differnece betweeen the ground state and the excited state and explain that when it returns from an excited state back to aground state it gives off energy

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  4. Paxton, your answer needs a bit more explanation as the other commentors have alluded to. What is a ground state? How do you know it is a ground state? how can an electron be excited? What are some examples of different excited states?

    Your example is awesome. Now use it to expand upon and fully explain your answer.

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  5. Paxton good job but I think it would of helped if you had used a picture of ground state and excited state electrons. I really liked your example though.

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