Conservation of energy requires that if an atom absorbs a photon
A) an electron ends up with an energy equal to that of the photon.
B) the atom must emit an electron.
C) the atom must emit a photon.
D) an electron rises to a new orbital with an energy equal to that of the previous orbital plus the energy of the photon.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When an atom absorbs a photon, an electron transitions to a higher energy orbital, with the energy of the new orbital being the sum of the previous orbital's energy and the photon's energy.

Conservation of Energy Requires That If an Atom Absorbs a Photon