Increasing energy diagram: n=1 -13.59eV, n=2 -3.4 eV, n=3 -1.51 eV, n=4 -0.85 eV
ID: 817931 • Letter: I
Question
Increasing energy diagram: n=1 -13.59eV, n=2 -3.4 eV, n=3 -1.51 eV, n=4 -0.85 eV, n=5 -0.54 eV,
n=6 -0.38 eV
1) If an electron moves from the n=2 to the n=4 energy level, is energy emitted or absorbed by the atom? Explain your answer.
2) Considering only the six energy levels that are shown in the hydrogen energy-level diagram, how many different possibilities are there for an electron to fall from a higher energy level to a lower energy level? SHOW YOUR WORK
3) Based on your answer to #2, how many discrete wavelengths of light could you expect based on this energy level diagram?
Explanation / Answer
a)If an electron moves from the n=2 to the n=4 energy level energy is absorbed because energy at n=4 is greater then that of at n=2.
b)We can choose any 2 levels from 6 available energy levels here.Each 2 selected level comprises a different possibility to fall from a higher to lower energy level so in total we have 6C2= 6x5/2 =15 different ways.
There is another way to look at it.
see from 6th level we can go to 5th,4th,3rd,2nd,1st level = 5 ways
from 5th level we can go to 4th,3rd,2nd,1st level = 4 ways
from 4th level we can go to 3rd,2nd,1st level = 3 ways
from 3rd level we can go to 2nd,1st level = 2 ways
from 2nd level we can go to 1st level = 1 way
So total 5+4+3+2+1=15 ways
c)