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EM Field and Atoms
Name: Brittany
Status: student
Age: 17
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 1999
Question:
How can one measure the change in the EM field around an
atom when it absorbs light?
I am trying to do this for a project.
I found a cool concept but i don't know if it could work.
I came up with the idea based on this website
http://www.eskimo.com/~billb/freenrg/sukdynam.html
Basically it says " an atom behaves as an electromagnetic resonator
similar to a coil/capacitor tank
circuit, and if the resonant frequency of the "atom/circuit" is the
same as the frequency of the light, then the atom will absorb a
tiny bit of an incoming light wave and store it as a region of
oscillating EM fields. These fields would surround the atom. Oddly,
these fields strongly interact with the incoming light because
they are naturally phase-locked to it. "
Would this work? Could i make different solutions with different
compounds and explore
how much light can be it can absorb in these region of oscillating EM
fields if i have atoms of greater radius, molecule with high energy
bonds, changing variables around.
Basically make different solutions then use a spectrophotometer to see
how much light is absorb. (naturally i would you colorless compounds).
Or does that not work, are the spectrophotometer dependant on a color
change? Or are they not that sensetive? is a uv spectrophotmeter more
sensetive? Since it creates a EM field, is there another way i could
measure it?
Replies:
Basically, this "electromagnetic resonator" explanation just is another way
of describing how atoms and molecules absorb light. The energy from the
absorbed light excites electrons to higher energy states, in which their
magnetic properties are different. I don't understand exactly what you
would be measuring in your proposed experiments. Measuring light
absorption is easy with a spectrophotometer; that's what they do. I don't
get what you'll be doing with the EM fields.
If you want your solutions to absorb light, you'll need to use colored
compounds. Colorless compounds simply don't absorb light. That's why
they're colorless.
I don't think I've fully answered your question, but I'm not quite certain
where I need to begin explaining the principles of photochemistry to you.
Clarify and ask again, if you wish.
Richard E. Barrans Jr., Ph. D.
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