What happens after a Photon pass-es through an element without causing any ElectronTransition? e.g. A Cube of Scanadium

Question

Assuming:-

1. No ElectronTransition ==> Photon passes through the atom. [right?]

   • Longer Version In Words:-

     If a Photon doesn't have enough energy / has more energy than to trigger a ElectronTransition --> Then it isbelieved / usually told to be "Passing Through The Atom".

2. https://atomic-spectra.net/sp_hires.png

   • In Words:-

     Lots of elements (even METALs) have big chunks in their spectrum which doesn't cause ElectronTransition --> REF:-

The Question:-

What happens after a Photon pass-es through an element without causing any ElectronTransition? What does it really mean to pass through? (Specially when it was a solid/liquid that the photon didn't cause ElectronTransition to? Will that be different from what is taught in High School about a SingleATOM & that it passes through?)

1. e.g. What about a Cube/Chunk of Scanadium?

   FOR-REF:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandium#/media/File:Scandium_sublimed_dendritic_and_1cm3_cube.jpg

2. What if we shine the Photons on it that doesn't cause ElectronTransition to it?

   Shouldn't Scanadium let those Photons pass-through in straight line & appear Transparent?

I have read these:-

• [Basic Good Explainer] How can a red light photon be different from a blue light photon?
• Why do lines in atomic spectra have thickness? (Bohr's Model)
• Line broadening: What is actually broadened?
• What "happens" to the energy of a photon after it is absorbed? [Kind of talks about what I was asking for... but I wanna know the entire story about it ☺️]
• What happens to photons after they hit objects?
• What happens after a photon is absorbed by an electron
• What determines if a lamp produces emission or blackbody spectra?

Want to watch but feels really hard

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBnnXbOM5S4
• Is there an actual proof for the energy-time Uncertainty Principle?
• Atomic natural line width [What's a Eisenstate? Hamiltonian?]
• What is the meaning of natural line broadening? [‍]

Answer 1

Photons pass through glass all the time without causing a transition.

Metals are different. Even though they don't promote a bound electron from one orbital to another, they do interact with photons. Metals contain electrons in states that are not attached to a single atom. These electrons can move within the metal.

In a simple classical description, light is an oscillating electromagnetic field. The field causes electrons to vibrate. The vibration absorbs the incoming light. Accelerated electrons radiate. This is the reflected beam.