When electromagnetic radiation interacts with atoms, energy is absorbed through the electrons. the energetic electrons exhibit and move from the normal low energy level, or , to a higher energy level called the . the energetic electrons do not have enough energy to stay in the higher energy level permanently. as the electrons move from the higher energy level to the lower energy level, they release energy and occurs. energy is released only in specific amounts. the available transitions for each element results in a signature spectra rather than a spectra.