Lets say we have an atom of hydrogen. It has one electron on $E_1 = -13.6~\mathrm{ eV} ~~(E_2 = -3.4~\mathrm{eV})$ energy level. I know that if we fire a photon with 10.2 eV energy the hydrogen atom will absorb it and the electron will jump on the next energy level E2. And bellow are my questions.

• Q1: If a photon with 10.1 eV energy (insufficient to excite electron) would hit the atom of the hydrogen what would happen? Will the photon be absorbed by the atom and immediately emitted and the emitted photon (or photons?) will have the same 10.1 eV energy? Or the photon will pass through the atom or what would happen?
• Q2: Same question as the above one in this case our photon has a slightly more energy lets say it has 10.3 eV. Again what would happen? Will the atom absorb the photon and excite the electron but since the energy of the photon exceeds the required energy to excite the electron will the atom emit a photon with 0.1 eV energy or what will happen in this case?

I have done some research about it and got really confused. Some say that it needs the exact amount of energy ($\Delta E= E_2 - E_1$ in our case $\Delta E$ equals to 10.2 eV) to jump onto the higher energy level some say that it can jump if the energy exceeds the $\Delta E.$ What I really could not find is what happens with the extra amount of energy or maybe electron can be on $E_2$ energy level with slightly more/less energy.

Eventually I want to understand the concept of the reflection. How we see the objects, why they are transparent or glossy or red or whatever else. But this is out of scope of my question.

I'm not an expert though; so mark done the mistakes above if there are any.

Let's say we have an atom of hydrogen. It has one electron on $E_1 = -13.6~\mathrm{ eV} ~~(E_2 = -3.4~\mathrm{eV})$ energy level. I know that if we fire a photon with 10.2 eV energy the hydrogen atom will absorb it and the electron will jump on the next energy level E2. And below are my questions.

• Q1: If a photon with 10.1 eV energy (insufficient to excite electron) would hit the atom of the hydrogen what would happen? Will the photon be absorbed by the atom and immediately emitted, and the emitted photon (or photons?) will have the same 10.1 eV energy? Or the photon will pass through the atom or what would happen?
• Q2: Same question as the above one in this case our photon has slightly more energy, let's say it has 10.3 eV. Again what would happen? Will the atom absorb the photon and excite the electron, but since the energy of the photon exceeds the required energy to excite the electron will the atom emit a photon with 0.1 eV energy or what will happen in this case?

I have done some research about it and got really confused. Some say that it needs the exact amount of energy ($\Delta E= E_2 - E_1$ in our case $\Delta E$ equals to 10.2 eV) to jump onto the higher energy level some say that it can jump if the energy exceeds the $\Delta E.$ What I really could not find is what happens with the extra amount of energy or maybe electron can be on $E_2$ energy level with slightly more/less energy.

Eventually I want to understand the concept of the reflection. How we see the objects, why they are transparent or glossy or red or whatever else. But this is out of scope of my question.

I'm not an expert though; so mark down the mistakes above if there are any.

Lets say we have an atom of hydrogen. It has one electron on E1 = -13.6 eV (E2 = -3.4 eV) energy level. I know that if we fire a photon with 10.2 eV energy the hydrogen atom will absorb it and the electron will jump on the next energy level E2. And bellow are my questions.

• Q1: If a photon with 10.1 eV energy (insufficient to excite electron) would hit the atom of the hydrogen what would happen? Will the photon be absorbed by the atom and immediately emitted and the emitted photon (or photons?) will have the same 10.1 eV energy? Or the photon will pass through the atom or what would happen?
• Q2: Same question as the above one in this case our photon has a slightly more energy lets say it has 10.3 eV. Again what would happen? Will the atom absorb the photon and excite the electron but since the energy of the photon exceeds the required energy to excite the electron will the atom emit a photon with 0.1 eV energy or what will happen in this case?

I have done some research about it and got really confused. Some say that it needs the exact amount of energy (ΔE= E2 - E1 in our case ΔE equals to 10.2 eV) to jump onto the higher energy level some say that it can jump if the energy exceeds the ΔE. What I really could not find is what happens with the extra amount of energy or maybe electron can be on E2 energy level with slightly more/less energy.

Eventually I wanna understand the concept of the reflection. How we see the objects, why they are transparent or glossy or red or whatever else. But this is out of scope of my question.

Also please consider that the quantum physics is my hobby so I'm sorry if there were some obvious errors or mistakes. Feel free to correct/comment after all I'm here to learn :)

Thanks in advance, Ed!

Lets say we have an atom of hydrogen. It has one electron on $E_1 = -13.6~\mathrm{ eV} ~~(E_2 = -3.4~\mathrm{eV})$ energy level. I know that if we fire a photon with 10.2 eV energy the hydrogen atom will absorb it and the electron will jump on the next energy level E2. And bellow are my questions.

• Q1: If a photon with 10.1 eV energy (insufficient to excite electron) would hit the atom of the hydrogen what would happen? Will the photon be absorbed by the atom and immediately emitted and the emitted photon (or photons?) will have the same 10.1 eV energy? Or the photon will pass through the atom or what would happen?
• Q2: Same question as the above one in this case our photon has a slightly more energy lets say it has 10.3 eV. Again what would happen? Will the atom absorb the photon and excite the electron but since the energy of the photon exceeds the required energy to excite the electron will the atom emit a photon with 0.1 eV energy or what will happen in this case?

I have done some research about it and got really confused. Some say that it needs the exact amount of energy ($\Delta E= E_2 - E_1$ in our case $\Delta E$ equals to 10.2 eV) to jump onto the higher energy level some say that it can jump if the energy exceeds the $\Delta E.$ What I really could not find is what happens with the extra amount of energy or maybe electron can be on $E_2$ energy level with slightly more/less energy.

Eventually I want to understand the concept of the reflection. How we see the objects, why they are transparent or glossy or red or whatever else. But this is out of scope of my question.

I'm not an expert though; so mark done the mistakes above if there are any.