Excited state electrons lose energy when they move to the ground state.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Excited state electrons have higher energy levels than ground state electrons. When they move back to the ground state, they release the extra energy in the form of a photon of light, which can be observed as emission lines in the spectrum. This process is known as spontaneous emission, and it causes the excited state electron to lose energy as it returns to the ground state.

Excited State Electrons Lose Energy When They Move to the Ground