= Atomic recoil
{wiki=Atomic_recoil}
Atomic recoil refers to the phenomenon that occurs when an atom or a nucleus absorbs energy from a photon (a particle of light) or a particle (such as an alpha or beta particle) during an interaction. When this energy is absorbed, the atom is set into motion due to the conservation of momentum, and it recoils as a reaction to the incoming energy. In a quantum context, when an atom absorbs a photon, it can be excited to a higher energy state.
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