Absorption of UV-visible energy by a molecule results in ________.

A) vibrational transitions
B) electronic transitions
C) rotational transitions
D) nuclear transitions
E) none of the above

Absorption of UV-visible energy by a molecule results in electronic transitions, which involve promotion of an electron from a lower energy level to a higher energy level within a molecule. This leads to a change in the energy of the molecule, and is the basis for many analytical techniques such as UV-visible spectroscopy. Vibrational transitions involve a change in the vibrational energy of a molecule, rotational transitions involve a change in the rotational energy, and nuclear transitions involve a change in the nucleus of an atom or molecule, none of which result directly from absorption of UV-visible energy.