Excited state electrons lose energy when they move to the ground state.
Of course they do.
The process of excited state electrons losing energy and transitioning to the ground state is known as an electron transition or electron relaxation. When an electron receives energy, it absorbs the energy and moves to a higher energy level or excited state. However, this excited state is unstable, and the electron tends to return to its original, lower energy level, also known as the ground state.
The energy loss occurs through the emission of photons of light. As the excited electron transitions back to the ground state, it releases the excess energy in the form of a photon. The energy of the photon corresponds to the difference in energy between the two energy levels involved in the transition. This energy is emitted as electromagnetic radiation, which can include visible light, ultraviolet light, or even X-rays depending on the specific transition.
To calculate the energy lost during an electron transition, you can use the equation:
∆E = E_final − E_initial
Where ∆E is the energy lost, E_final is the energy of the ground state, and E_initial is the energy of the excited state.
It's important to note that each element has a unique set of energy level configurations and transitions specific to its atomic structure, which dictate the wavelengths of light emitted during electron relaxation. This property is also the basis for various analytical techniques like atomic absorption spectroscopy and atomic emission spectroscopy, which involve studying the emitted photons to identify and analyze substances.
So, when excited state electrons lose energy, they emit photons, move to a lower energy level, and eventually return to the ground state.