We know that when an electron jumps from shell to shell it produces light waves which produce the sensation of vision to our eyes. But can anything be said about the colour of an atom in particular. Can anything also be concluded about the colour of any subatomic particle.
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3$\begingroup$ What do you mean by "color of an atom" other than the light waves emitted? That is the definition of the physical process behind color. $\endgroup$– Cort AmmonCommented Oct 27, 2023 at 3:28
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$\begingroup$ A single atom is a quantum mechanical entity and will interact with photons in various ways. The energy of the photon will correspond to a classical color but will not be unique, depending on the quantum mechanical interaction probabilities. $\endgroup$– anna vCommented Oct 28, 2023 at 4:35
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2 Answers
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Atoms do not HAVE a color. When we see a color on an object what really happens is: When white light falls on an object, it absorbs certain wavelengths and The one it reflects are the one that are visible to us.
The "Color" of a an atom will depends on the wavelength of light absorbed by the electrons of the atom and the light emitted by it (Due to De-excitation of electrons)
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$\begingroup$ hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/vision/colper.html $\endgroup$– anna vCommented Oct 28, 2023 at 4:36
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Since color involves human vision, it’s not really a good physics property, for various reasons.
Each atom has an emission spectrum of light that it emits when heated in a bulk vapor, so neon is red and sodium is yellow.
Of course, when white light passes through it, there is a complementary absorption spectrum, so neon is everything but red and sodium is not yellow.
