30.5 Exercise 5

An electron is excited from the ground state of an atom (energy level 1) into a highly excited state (energy level 8). Which of the following electron behaviors represents the fluorescence effect by the atom?

1. The electron remains at level 8 for a very long time, then transitions up to level 9.
2. The electron transitions directly down from level 8 to level 1.
3. The electron transitions from level 8 to level 1 and then returns quickly to level 8.
4. The electron transitions from level 8 to level 6, then to level 5, then to level 3, then to level 1.