Interesting, thank you!

Sorry, I should have clarified. This was in the Geiger-Marsden experiments

But if the alpha ionised the atoms wouldn’t they not be excited? Are there other ways of exciting atoms without colliding them with electrons or having them absorb photons?

I think I understand now, my only question is how exactly does the force from the hand arise, is it because of the contact with the box?

I see, so then in other interactions involving movement like pushing a small box with your hand, the force from the box on the hand is not equal to the force acting on the hand making it accelerate, but will be equal to the force the hand exerts? And so the box moves and the hand keeps moving?

But why is the force exerted by the book on the table NII paired not NIII, if the table exerts an equal and opposite force on the book?

The transition metal complexes, and also solid pieces of metal

Thank you, I read your answer and get how absorption and emission isn’t the same as seeing color due to reflection of light. So is seeing color in a discharge tube of a particular element related to atomic spectra but not the same as color because of reflection of light at a surface? Also how would you explain seeing color in transition metals, is it the same as fluorescence where electrons excite and de-excite, or do they stay in the excited state and so there is only absorption and no emission? Is this also the case for seeing reflection of color?