Excited state

Excited State is a term used in Quantum Mechanics to describe the state of an atom, ion, or molecule in which its potential energy is higher than the lowest possible potential energy state, known as the Ground State.

Overview

In the quantum mechanical model, the excited state of a system (such as an atom, molecule or nucleus) is any quantum state of the system that has a higher energy than the ground state (that is, more energy than the absolute minimum). Excitation is an elevation in energy level above an arbitrary baseline energy state. In physics there is a specific technical definition for energy level which is often associated with an atom being excited to an excited state.

Excitation Process

The process of excitation involves the addition of energy to a system, typically in the form of heat, light, or electricity. This energy input causes the system to move from its ground state to an excited state. The energy can be absorbed from various sources, including photons, electric fields, and thermal energy.

De-excitation

After a system has been excited, it will eventually return to its ground state through a process known as de-excitation. This process involves the release of the absorbed energy, typically in the form of light (such as the emission of a photon), but can also be in the form of heat or other forms of energy.

Applications

Excited states have many practical applications in various fields, including Spectroscopy, Quantum Computing, and Chemistry. In spectroscopy, for example, the difference in energy between the ground state and an excited state can be used to identify and analyze different substances.

See Also

• Quantum Mechanics
• Ground State
• Photon
• Electric Field
• Thermal Energy
• Spectroscopy
• Quantum Computing
• Chemistry

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