Exam-style question
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How does an electron collision lead to excitation of an atom?.
- A.By transferring energy equal to the work function
- B.By transferring energy less than the ionisation energy
- C.By transferring energy equal to the ionisation energy
- D.By transferring energy greater than the work function
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- By transferring energy less than the ionisation energy
Explanation
Why this works
Excitation occurs when an electron collision transfers energy to an atom that is sufficient to elevate an electron to a higher energy level but not enough to completely remove it from the atom.
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