Which of the following statements correctly explains the quantum process occurring within the fluorophore's energy levels that leads to the emission of this longer-wavelength light?
The fluorophore is ionized by the high-energy 405 nm405 \text{ nm}405 nm photon, and emits a 520 nm520 \text{ nm}520 nm photon when a free electron recombines directly to the ground state.
An electron in the fluorophore absorbs the 405 nm405 \text{ nm}405 nm photon to reach an excited state, loses a fraction of this energy via non-radiative transitions, and then de-excites to the ground state by emitting a single, lower-energy 520 nm520 \text{ nm}520 nm photon.
The fluorophore absorbs multiple 520 nm520 \text{ nm}520 nm photons from the excitation source, causing an electron to reach a highly excited state, which then de-excites in a single transition to emit the 405 nm405 \text{ nm}405 nm photon.
The incoming 405 nm405 \text{ nm}405 nm photon causes the fluorophore to emit a photoelectron via the photoelectric effect, leaving a positive ion that then relaxes to emit the 520 nm520 \text{ nm}520 nm photon.
31 exam-style questions on AQA A Level Physics Electromagnetic radiation and quantum phenomena, covering The photoelectric effect, Collisions of electrons with atoms, Energy levels and photon emission, and Wave-particle duality. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.