electronic transition and electromagnetic waves

[yjj8817]

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Can electromagnetic waves cause electronic transitions?

I have read on internet that electrons in a matter absorb EM waves, vibrate, and emit the wave, causing the waves to slow down in the matter. I am wondering if this can also lead to electronic transitions

 

[MrRed]

By electronic transitions do you mean a change in the energy level of an electron still associated with a particular atom/crystal lattice?
If so, then yes electromagnetic waves -- so long as they possess the particular frequency that corresponds with the energy level jump of a particular electron -- can cause an electronic transition from a lower to higher orbital level of a given electron.
On the flip-side, when electrons fall from higher to lower energy levels, they will emit a photon (which is, for our purposes essentially an electromagnetic wave -- as you know photons have both particle and wave behaviors) with a frequency directly proportional to the energy level of the transition that the particular electron made. As per our friend Max Planck has shown (at least I'm pretty sure it was Max Planck) - energy can only be absorbed/emitted in discrete packets (quanta) and it not on a "continuous scale".

 

[yjj8817]

By electronic transitions do you mean a change in the energy level of an electron still associated with a particular atom/crystal lattice?
If so, then yes electromagnetic waves -- so long as they possess the particular frequency that corresponds with the energy level jump of a particular electron -- can cause an electronic transition from a lower to higher orbital level of a given electron.
On the flip-side, when electrons fall from higher to lower energy levels, they will emit a photon (which is, for our purposes essentially an electromagnetic wave -- as you know photons have both particle and wave behaviors) with a frequency directly proportional to the energy level of the transition that the particular electron made. As per our friend Max Planck has shown (at least I'm pretty sure it was Max Planck) - energy can only be absorbed/emitted in discrete packets (quanta) and it not on a "continuous scale".

Then what about ionization? can em waves cause ionization?