Why does a fluorescent screen glow when struck by an electron beam?

A fluorescent screen glows when struck by an electron beam due to a process called cathodoluminescence.1

The screen is coated with materials known as phosphors, which are solid substances capable of emitting light when exposed to radiation or high-speed particles. When the electron beam—a stream of accelerated electrons—strikes these phosphor molecules, the kinetic energy from the electrons is transferred to the outermost electrons of the phosphor atoms or molecules.2345

This energy transfer causes the phosphor's electrons to jump from their ground-state energy level to a higher energy level. As these excited electrons return to their ground state, they release the excess energy in the form of visible light. In devices like television screens, this effect is precisely controlled to produce images, with different phosphors chosen to emit specific colors.46738