What are electromagnetic transitions?

Electromagnetic transitions are like when energy moves from one place to another using light or other invisible waves.

Imagine you're on a playground swing. When someone pushes you, you go higher, that's like getting more energy. Now imagine your swing is a particle, and the push is a type of energy it receives. When that particle loses some of its energy, it sends out a wave, like a tiny flashlight, and that’s an electromagnetic transition.

Think of a bulb in your home. When you turn on the light switch, electricity flows through the bulb, making it glow. That glowing is similar to how atoms behave when they receive or send out energy. Just like turning on the light makes the bulb shine, an atom might emit light, a tiny burst of color we can see.

Sometimes particles get excited and send out waves, that’s like shouting across the playground. Other times, they absorb those waves, like listening to someone shout. These are both examples of electromagnetic transitions: sending or receiving energy in the form of light or other invisible waves.