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In a simplistic one-electron model described below, the total energy of an electron is a negative inverse quadratic function of the principal quantum number n, leading to degenerate energy levels for each n > 1. [1] In more complex systems—those having forces other than the nucleus–electron Coulomb force—these levels split.
The quantum defect of an alkali atom refers to a correction to the energy levels predicted by the classic calculation of the hydrogen wavefunction. A simple model of the potential experienced by the single valence electron of an alkali atom is that the ionic core acts as a point charge with effective charge e and the wavefunctions are ...
Illustration of the Jaynes–Cummings model. An atom in an optical cavity is shown as red dot on the top left. The energy levels of the atom that couple to the field mode within the cavity are shown in the circle on the bottom right. Transfer between the two states causes photon emission (absorption) by the atom into (out of) the cavity mode.
The potential energy in this model is given as = {, < < +,,, where L is the length of the box, x c is the location of the center of the box and x is the position of the particle within the box. Simple cases include the centered box ( x c = 0) and the shifted box ( x c = L /2) (pictured).
An increase in energy level from E 1 to E 2 resulting from absorption of a photon represented by the red squiggly arrow, and whose energy is h ν. A decrease in energy level from E 2 to E 1 resulting in emission of a photon represented by the red squiggly arrow, and whose energy is h ν.
The Bohr model of the hydrogen atom (Z = 1) or a hydrogen-like ion (Z > 1), where the negatively charged electron confined to an atomic shell encircles a small, positively charged atomic nucleus and where an electron jumps between orbits, is accompanied by an emitted or absorbed amount of electromagnetic energy (hν). [1]
Because the kinetic energy of the emitted electrons is exactly the energy of the incident photon minus the energy of the electron's binding within an atom, molecule or solid, the binding energy can be determined by shining a monochromatic X-ray or UV light of a known energy and measuring the kinetic energies of the photoelectrons. [17]
A state that cannot absorb an incident photon is called a dark state. This can occur in experiments using laser light to induce transitions between energy levels, when atoms can spontaneously decay into a state that is not coupled to any other level by the laser light, preventing the atom from absorbing or emitting light from that state.