Dropping an Energy Level and Photon Emission

[Yuppie202]

Suppose an electron goes from a second energy orbital to the first energy orbital, which is equal to the energy difference between the two energy orbitals. Then why is it that we subtract the second energy orbital from the first energy orbital? How can the second energy orbital possibly be less energy?

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[DrknoSDN]

The second energy orbital is not less energy, it's excited so it's higher energy.

Also equation online seems to be E2-E1=hv
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stimulated_emission

Spontaneous equation uses same forumla but no images containing the eqn to link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_emission

 

[dudewheresmymd]

The second energy orbital is not less energy, it's excited so it's higher energy.

Also equation online seems to be E2-E1=hv
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stimulated_emission

Spontaneous equation uses same forumla but no images containing the eqn to link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_emission

Is visible light emitted when an electron goes from a lower energy level to a higher energy level? any physics majors like to clarify (@milski )?

What about if an electron is ionized or added to an atom, is visible light emitted?

 

[labqi]

Is visible light emitted when an electron goes from a lower energy level to a higher energy level?

What about if an electron is ionized or added to an atom, is visible light emitted?

I don't think you visible light or a photon of energy until the excited electron drops from a higher to lower shell. Absorbs energy to move to a higher shell, emits energy to drop down.

IoNizing, iirc, is when an electron is removed from an atom, I don't believe any energy is emitted since energy must be absorbed to break or take an electron away. If an electron is added on the other hand, my best guest would be, it does not emit energy as the electron is not dropping shells but rather being placed into a shell.