A specific amount of energy is emitted when excited electrons in an atom in a sample of an element return to the ground state. This emitted energy can be used to determine the

A) mass of the sample

B) volume of the sample

C) identity of the element

D) number of moles of the element

The answer is C. The specific amount of energy emitted when electrons jump from excited states to the ground state refers to emission spectrum. The energy is emitted in the form of photons, and the photons have very specific wavelengths (energy) that correspond to the energy gaps between the excited states and the ground state. The specific wavelengths of light emitted are referred to as the "emission spectrum," and each element produces a different emission spectrum. Thus, this emitted energy can be used to identify the element from which your sample was taken.