Quote:
Originally Posted by Zaps
The incoming photons only interact with, and are absorbed by (rather than "bouncing off" anything), an electron shell and then an electron is emitted.
But I was actually addressing your assertion that the incoming energy (photons) collide with and bounce off the atoms on the outside of the dust mote, when in fact they could and do interact with any of the atoms within it.
Hey Carl, I laughed when you referred to Heisenberg, because I once met the man after a lecture back in the early '70s, and for years I was on good terms with his son, although I've since had no contact with that particular Heisenberg in more than a decade.
Science can indeed be a very small world at times!  |
Yes, that's what happens with PE. The electron shell absorbs the photon and the electron in the shell gets the heave ho. PE occurs with short wavelengths in the Vis' or UV end of the spectrum, as you would know. Same with ionisation, get the right photon come in and the electron gets a permanent eviction, although ionisation can occur with incoming radiation of any wavelength. Where you get the slight EM field on the surface of the dust grain coming from is when electrons get jangled loose but the grain is not completely ionised. That, and as I said in my original post, slightly heated. The emitted energy is usually as IR or MW. That's why they use IR cameras/photometers to measure the IR and radio telescopes for MW radiated by the bok globules...it's one way they can measure the field potential and a number of other characteristics of the clouds.
Come to think of, my original way of putting it was incorrect, but I think you can see where I was coming from...bounce wasn't a good expression
Where did you get to meet Heisenberg?? That would've been interesting to say the least!!! What is/was your field of study??