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Topic: Vibration and Minimum Energy  (Read 7410 times)

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Offline babyruth789

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Vibration and Minimum Energy
« on: November 09, 2009, 01:58:34 PM »
The energy of a vibrating molecule is quantized much like the energy of an electron in the hydrogen atom. The energy levels of a vibrating molecule are given by the equation
En = (n+1\2) hv
where n is a quantum number with possible values of 1,2 ... and where v is the frequency of vibration. The vibration frequency of HCl is approximately 8.85*10^13 s-1.

What minimum energy is required to excite a vibration in HCl? 

What wavelength of light is required to excite this vibration?

I know that once I find the minimum energy I will be able to find the wavelength. I can use the equation given in the problem, I am given everything, but how do I know what the quantum number is for HCl? (n)

Offline renge ishyo

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Re: Vibration and Minimum Energy
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2009, 02:09:50 PM »
It wants the minimum energy, so what is the smallest value of n that you can plug into your equation?

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