What happens to an electron during an absorption process?

1 Answer
Apr 11, 2016

Energy levels associated with molecules, atoms and nuclei are in general discrete, quantized energy levels and transitions between those levels typically involve the absorption or emission of photons.

Electrons on absorption of energy makes transition from lower energy level to higher level.

It is possible for excited electrons in atoms and molecules to have some other kind of interaction which lowers their energy before they can make a downward transition. In that case they would emit a photon of lower energy and longer wavelength. This process is called fluorescence if it happens essentially instantaneously. It is also possible that material can hold onto the energy of excitation for a long time, gradually making downward transitions with emission. This delayed emission is called phosphorescence