Chemistry Regents Practice Test

What occurs when an electron in an atom returns from a higher energy state to a lower energy state?

1. Energy is absorbed

2. A specific amount of energy is released

3. Electrons are removed

4. The atom becomes ionized

The correct answer is: A specific amount of energy is released

When an electron in an atom transitions from a higher energy state to a lower energy state, a specific amount of energy is released in the form of a photon. This process is fundamental to the behavior of electrons within an atom and is often observed in emission spectra. In this transition, the energy difference between the two states corresponds to the energy of the emitted light. This release occurs because, as the electron moves to a lower energy level, it loses the energy that was initially used to excite it to the higher level. This principle underlies many phenomena in atomic physics and is critical for understanding how atoms absorb and emit light. The other options refer to processes that do not accurately describe the behavior of electrons returning to lower energy states. Absorption of energy occurs when electrons are excited to higher energy levels. Removal of electrons and ionization pertain to different processes where an electron is taken out of the atom entirely, which indicates a loss of energy and a gain in potential energy, rather than the transition between energy states within the atom.