Photoelectric EffectHard

Question

An atom consists of three energy levels given by a ground state with energy E0 = 0, the first excited state with energy E1 = K and the second excited state with energy E2 = 2K where K > 0. The atom is initially in the ground state. Light from a laser which emits photons with energy 1.5K is shined on the atom. Which of the following is/are correct ?

Options

A.The photons are absorbed, putting one atom in a state E1 and one atom in a state E2.
B.A photon will always be absorbed, but half the time the atom will go into the state with energy K and the other half into the state with energy 2K. In this way, energy will be conserved on the average.
C.The atom absorbs a photon, goes into the first excited state with energy K and emits a photon with energy 0.5 K to conserve energy.
D.The atom does not absorb any photon and stays in the ground state.

Solution

The atom will absorb photon whose energy is equal to the energy gap between two energy levels of the atom.

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