Light

From Citizendium
Revision as of 13:54, 6 June 2007 by imported>Robert W King
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Light, on a scientific level, can be defined by an amount of electromagnetic radiation given off by an electron within an atom that, having gained energy, returns from a higher valance level to it's natural level. The emission of the excess energy by the return to the lower valence shell produces this electromagnetic radiation. Upon the return to the natural level, a photon is emitted by the electron with very specific properties. Those observable properties determine the qualitative properties of the light.