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Topic: Wave Length  (Read 3408 times)

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Offline Dirty

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Wave Length
« on: December 12, 2009, 04:48:54 PM »
Calculate the wavelength (in nm) of a photon emitted from a hydrogen atom when its electron drops from the n=3 state to the n=1 state.

I got 102 nm.
Ef - Ei=E =-13.6-(-1.5) = 12.1 eV
then used wave length=hc/E

1240eV x NM/12.1 eV = 102nm
Is this is correct way of doing it? or should I be using the formula 1/wave length=R(1/n^2f - 1/n^2i) ??
« Last Edit: December 12, 2009, 05:32:37 PM by Dirty »

Offline Borek

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Re: Wave Length
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2009, 05:16:57 PM »
13.6-(-1.5) is not 12.1, it is 15.1.

No idea where did you get 13.6 and -1.5 values for energies - but if they were correct, results should be identical.

However somehow I don't think -1.5 is OK, negative energy?
« Last Edit: December 12, 2009, 05:57:32 PM by Borek »
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Offline savy2020

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Re: Wave Length
« Reply #2 on: December 13, 2009, 02:53:54 AM »
Ef - Ei = E = - 13.6 - (-1.5) = 12.1 eV
That should have been
Ef - Ei = - E = -13.6 - (1.5) = -12.1

Is this is correct way of doing it? or should I be using the formula 1/wave length=R(1/n^2f - 1/n^2i) ??
Both the ways you mentioned are correct.
Either way you get the same answer.

@Borek
Energy of an electron is negative in an atom since conventionally energy is considered "zero" when electron is at infinity. So in any orbit around the nucleus energy will be negative. :)
In the first orbit of H acc. to Bohrs's theory energy is calculated as -13.6eV.
and 1.5 ~ 13.6/9 as energy inversely varies as square of 'n'
:-) SKS

Offline Borek

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Re: Wave Length
« Reply #3 on: December 13, 2009, 05:04:31 AM »
Energy of an electron is negative in an atom since conventionally energy is considered "zero" when electron is at infinity. So in any orbit around the nucleus energy will be negative. :)
In the first orbit of H acc. to Bohrs's theory energy is calculated as -13.6eV.
and 1.5 ~ 13.6/9 as energy inversely varies as square of 'n'

That's just the matter of convention. However, in the original post (before it was edited and minus was added before 13.6 making me look like an idiot) energies differed in sign - and that was an obvious sign (pun not intended) that something is wrong.
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