When atoms emit light in an electric field, there is indeed an effect known as the Stark effect. The Stark effect is the shifting and splitting of atomic energy levels in the presence of an electric field. This effect was first described by Johannes Stark in 1913.
The presence of an electric field can cause a perturbation to the energy levels of an atom. This perturbation arises from the interaction between the electric field and the electric dipole moment of the atom. The electric dipole moment is a measure of the separation of positive and negative charges within the atom.
The Stark effect can lead to several notable phenomena:
Stark Shift: The energy levels of the atom are shifted in the presence of the electric field. This shift can be either an increase or decrease in energy, depending on the direction and magnitude of the electric field.
Stark Splitting: In addition to the energy shift, the energy levels can also split into multiple sub-levels. The splitting is a result of the interaction between the electric field and different components of the atom's angular momentum.
Stark Mixing: The electric field can cause mixing of different atomic states that have different quantum numbers. This mixing leads to hybrid states that are combinations of the original states. It can affect the transition probabilities and selection rules for atomic transitions.
The Stark effect has been widely studied and has important applications in various fields of physics, such as atomic and molecular spectroscopy. It has been used to probe the properties of atoms, ions, and molecules in electric fields and to study phenomena such as electric dipole moments, hyperfine structure, and fine structure.
It's worth noting that while the Zeeman effect is associated with the interaction between atoms and magnetic fields, the Stark effect is specific to the interaction between atoms and electric fields. Both effects demonstrate the influence of external fields on atomic energy levels but arise from different physical mechanisms.