Electrons

Location Surrounding nucleus Exact location unknown, they are always in motion Found in electron cloud High probability area of finding electrons

Energy levels electron cloud has energy levels where electrons are found Energy levels close to the nucleus have least amount of energy Each energy level holds certain number of electrons normal state (not excited) electrons in lowest energy levels close to nucleus

electrons absorb energy Electrons can move to higher energy levels cannot stay there for long (unstable) when energy is lost the electrons emit light and drop to a lower energy level

larger the number of energy levels dropped, the shorter the wavelength of light emitted (higher frequency) elements emit certain colors called the emission spectra for that element

Electromagnetic Spectrum Contains all the types of electromagnetic radiation (forms of light) contains visible light and non-visible sources of radiation When atoms absorb energy and then release it, they emit electromagnetic radiation in the form of visible light

certain wavelength/frequency will emit only a certain color of light ↑energy, ↑ frequency, ↓wavelength

Smallest wavelength (highest frequency, greatest energy)  largest wavelength (lowest frequency, smallest energy) Gamma rays, x rays, UV rays, visible light (VIBGYOR), infrared, radar, microwave, radio waves