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AP Physics 2
15.8 Types of Radioactive Decay
15.3 Emission and Absorption Spectra
IntermediateMCQConceptual17.7k
A nucleus in an excited energy state can emit a gamma-ray (\(\gamma\)) photon as it transitions to a lower nuclear energy state, whereas an excited atom can emit a visible or X-ray photon as an electron transitions to a lower atomic energy shell. Which of the following correctly compares these two processes and explains why gamma-ray photons have significantly higher energies than atomic photons?

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