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My teacher told me that when a charged particle drops from an excited state to lower-energy state, it emits electromagnetic radiation. Since mass is also a property of matter, does an electrically neutral object with mass emit any kind of radiation when it drops from excited to lower energy state?

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  • $\begingroup$ Your question seems to suggest a difference between charged particles and massive particles. However, all charged particles have mass. Did you mean to ask about electrically neutral massive particles? $\endgroup$
    – Crimson
    Commented Jun 9, 2017 at 13:22
  • $\begingroup$ You are probably looking for gravitational waves. $\endgroup$
    – Yashas
    Commented Jun 9, 2017 at 16:03

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The type of radiation released by a system when it falls to a lower energy state depends on the forces holding the system together. The electrons and protons in an atom are held together by the electromagnetic force since they are both electrically charged, so energy transitions release electromagnetic radiation. If gravity holds the system together, like stars, planets and black holes, then energy transitions give off gravitational radiation (more commonly called gravitational waves).

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