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Chemistry Forums for Students => Undergraduate General Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: noiseordinance on February 08, 2009, 03:37:23 PM

Title: Finding max number of possible emission lines
Post by: noiseordinance on February 08, 2009, 03:37:23 PM

Hi there. Curious about a question, and how to go about solving.

"If a hydrogen atom in the excited n=3 state relaxes to the ground state, what is the maximum number of possible emission lines?"

I've done conversions for the wavelength of a hydrogen atom excited from n=4 to n=1 so I'm familiar with some of this stuff, but I haven't the foggiest idea about the process required for the above question.

Thanks to anyone who can supply pointers.

Title: Re: Finding max number of possible emission lines
Post by: ARGOS++ on February 08, 2009, 04:05:44 PM

Dear noiseordinance;

What is n for the ground state, and how many possible ways the electron has to go back to the ground state?

Good Luck!
                    ARGOS⁺⁺

Title: Re: Finding max number of possible emission lines
Post by: noiseordinance on February 08, 2009, 04:09:53 PM

Thanks for the reply. I haven't actually heard the teacher use the term "ground state" so I'm going to guess it's just n=1. That said, I'm still kinda lost. I'm going to guess that the answer is 2: the jump from n=3 to n=1 creates a wavelength, and the jump from n=2 to n=1 also creates a wavelength. Is this the answer you think, or does this type of problem require math?

Thank you again.

Title: Re: Finding max number of possible emission lines
Post by: ARGOS++ on February 08, 2009, 04:26:25 PM

Title: Re: Finding max number of possible emission lines
Post by: noiseordinance on February 08, 2009, 04:37:46 PM

Hmm, I really don't understand that reply. Isn't n=1 the ground state? n can't equal 0 right? The link you sent me to is also a little umm.... technical for me to understand. Is there a plain english way for this to be explained? I figured if n=3, it's going to create a wavelength when it jumps to n=2, and once again when it jumps to n=1, creating 2 wavelengths altogether...

Title: Re: Finding max number of possible emission lines
Post by: ARGOS++ on February 08, 2009, 04:45:28 PM

Dear noiseordinance;

Normaly we use n= 1 for it.
There is also an emission possible for n=3 --> n=1, as you can see in the link, so its one more.

Sorry! - That the link is not of help to you yet.  Maybe later.
Good Luck!
                    ARGOS⁺⁺

Title: Re: Finding max number of possible emission lines
Post by: noiseordinance on February 08, 2009, 04:53:29 PM

So is the answer 2 possible light emissions? Thank you... sorry I'm a total newbie to this.

Title: Re: Finding max number of possible emission lines
Post by: ARGOS++ on February 08, 2009, 04:58:55 PM

Dear noiseordinance;

You mean three, corresponding to your former posting, not 2:   n=3 --> n=2;  n=2 --> n=1; and n=3 --> n=1.

Good Luck!
                    ARGOS⁺⁺

Title: Re: Finding max number of possible emission lines
Post by: noiseordinance on February 08, 2009, 05:13:56 PM

Oh, I get it.... so the jump from n=3 ---> n=1 doesn't necessarily stop at n=2.... ok, so I can see this getting a bit more complicated with the starting value of n is even greater, hehe... I'll try to review that page you linked me to. Maybe if I stare long enough, I'll get it. :P

Thank you for the help.

Title: Re: Finding max number of possible emission lines
Post by: ARGOS++ on February 08, 2009, 05:16:02 PM