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Atom changing w/ heat

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Scratch-:
Does the size of an atom change much when it’s heated? Often when an element is heated it excites its electrons and they create light as they fall back to a lower energy level, would this make an atom larger?

jdurg:
I do not believe that the atomic radius of an atom changes with temperature.  When the electrons are "excited" to a higher energy level, they really aren't moving, so to speak, to a different part of the atom.  They are just gaining more energy and then releasing that energy.  It would be like an employee getting a raise.  They really aren't being 'raised" above anything.  It's just the terminology.   :P

Scratch-:
Hmmm... I guess I mistook energy level for electron shell, as my poor memory often does.  ::) :-\

Donaldson Tan:
huh? I always thought the energy level of the electron is inversely proportional to the distance of it is away from the nucleus. 2p > 2s, so 2p electrons ought to be furthur away from 2s, but the distance shouldn't be significantly far apart, cuz they are in the same shell.

pls enlighten~

Mitch:
I think geodome is right on this one.

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