An electron cloud, is a zone of high probability. If you have an electron orbiting a proton, the cloud is an area where it is extremely likely to find an electron. You can't stick your finger in and pull out an electron. The cloud is just an area where the electron is likely to be found. More on that [here][1].

The electron(- charge) wants to be as close as possible to the proton(+ charge). Therefore, it takes more energy to have a larger shell, than a smaller one. In fact, when an electron shifts to a lower shell, it releases the energy that was pent-up keeping away from the proton, as light. ![Photon emission][2]

I like to think of it like a baseball on earth. If carry the baseball up a hill 10 meters above sea-level, if has more potential energy than a baseball that you are carrying at sea-level. If you drop the baseball of a cliff from 10m, it changes some of the potential energy into kinetic energy, and moves closer to sea-level.

Just like a baseball, a photon shifting shells converts potential energy into light, as it "falls" a distance toward the proton.

If someone were to catch your hypothetical baseball, and throw it back, it would gain potential energy as it traveled upwards. Likewise, if an atom absorbs energy in the form of heat, or light, the electrons in the cloud will gain potential energy, and move "upward" away from the atom.

![Baseball example][3]![enter image description here][4]

I hope I was able to help. [1]: http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron_cloud [2]: https://i.sstatic.net/006Xa.jpg [3]: https://i.sstatic.net/pRMZH.png [4]: https://i.sstatic.net/JEW3L.gif

An electron cloud, is a zone of high probability. If you have an electron orbiting a proton, the cloud is an area where it is extremely likely to find an electron. You can't stick your finger in and pull out an electron. The cloud is just an area where the electron is likely to be found. More on that here.

The electron(- charge) wants to be as close as possible to the proton(+ charge). Therefore, it takes more energy to have a larger shell, than a smaller one. In fact, when an electron shifts to a lower shell, it releases the energy that was pent-up keeping away from the proton, as light.

I like to think of it like a baseball on earth. If carry the baseball up a hill 10 meters above sea-level, if has more potential energy than a baseball that you are carrying at sea-level. If you drop the baseball of a cliff from 10m, it changes some of the potential energy into kinetic energy, and moves closer to sea-level.

Just like a baseball, a photon shifting shells converts potential energy into light, as it "falls" a distance toward the proton.

If someone were to catch your hypothetical baseball, and throw it back, it would gain potential energy as it traveled upwards. Likewise, if an atom absorbs energy in the form of heat, or light, the electrons in the cloud will gain potential energy, and move "upward" away from the atom.

I hope I was able to help.