/*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} 6CQ An isolated atom can emit a phot... [FREE SOLUTION] | 91影视

91影视

An isolated atom can emit a photon and the atom's internal energy drops. In fact, the process has a name:spontaneous emission. Can an isolated electron emit a photon? Why or why not?

Short Answer

Expert verified

An isolated electron cannot emit a photon on its own as this process would violate energy and momentum conservation.

Step by step solution

01

Concept used

An isolated electron cannot emit a photon on its own as this process would violate energy and momentum conservation. An electron has constant internal energy equal to mec2, where meis the rest mass of an electron and cis the velocity of light.

02

Photons and stationary electrons

If an electron emits a photon, its internal must drop increasing the kinetic energy of the photon. But, this cannot happen as the electron's internal energy is always a constant and cannot drop.

03

Conservation of momentum

Also, from the conservation of momentum, the final momentum of the electron and photon must be equal to the initial momentum of the electron. Considering the rest frame of the electron, the initial and final momentum of the electron is zero. This implies that the momentum of the photon after emission must be zero for momentum conservation. Again, this violates the known fact that photons always carry momentum and can never be zero.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91影视!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

A gamma-ray photon changes into a proton-antiproton pair. Ignoring momentum conservation, what must have been the wavelength of the photon (a) if the pair is stationary after creation, and (b) if each moves off at 0.6c, perpendicular to the motion of the photon? (c) Assume that these interactions occur as the photon encounters a lead plate and that a lead nucleus participates in momentum conservation. In each case, what fraction of the photon's energy must be absorbed by a lead nucleus?

An object moving to the right at 0.8c is struck head-on by a photon of wavelength moving to the left. The object absorbs the photon (i.e., the photon disappears) and is afterward moving to the right at 0.6c. (a) Determine the ratio of the object鈥檚 mass after the collision to its mass before the collision. (Note: The object is not a 鈥渇undamental particle鈥, and its mass is, therefore, subject to change.) (b) Does Kinetic energy increase or decrease?

Radiant energy from the sum arrives at Earth with an intensity of1.5kw/m2. Making the rough approximation that all photons are absorbed, find (a) the radiation pressure and (b) the total force experienced by Earth due to this 鈥渟olar wind鈥.

A ball rebounds elastically from the floor. What doesthis situation share with the ideas of momentum conservation discussed in connection with pair production?

When a beam of mono-energetic electrons is directed at a tungsten target, X-rays are produced with wavelengths no shorter than0.062nm . How fast are the electrons in the beam moving?

See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Physics Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.