Homework Help: Chemistry

Posted by Jimmy on Monday, March 16, 2009 at 9:39pm.

According to the quantum-mechanical model for the hydrogen atom, which of the following electron transitions would produce light with the longer wavelength:

2p --> 1s
or
3p --> 1s

I have the answer, which is 2p --> 1s, but can someone offer some help as to how this is determined?

Thanks for any help.

Chemistry - DrBob222, Monday, March 16, 2009 at 9:49pm
Make a diagram of the orbitals like so. You need to draw it out on a sheet of paper because I can't do it on the board.

-----------3p

-----------2p

------------1s
Now draw lines from 3p to 1s and from 2p to 1s. The most energy is emitted when the electron falls the most distance and the least energy is emitted when the electron falls the least distance.
The formula for energy is
E = hc/wavelength.
So if you want the longer wavelength, that means the denominator is larger which makes the right side of the equation lower and that means lower energy; therefore, you want to pick the transition that gives the least energy. I hope this helps.

Answer this Question

Related Questions

Chemistry - Calculate the wavelength of light emitted when each of the following...
Chemistry - An electron in a hydrogen atom could undergo any of the transitions ...
Chemistry. - Caculate the wavelength of light emitted when each of the ...
Chemistry - What electron transition in a hydrogen atom, ending in the orbit 5, ...
Chemistry - What electron transition in a hydrogen atom, ending in the orbit 4, ...
Chemistry - Between which two orbits of the Bohr hydrogen atom must an electron ...
Chemistry - Between which two orbits of the Bohr hydrogen atom must an electron...
Chem - From the information below, identify element X. a. The wavelength of the ...
chemistry - The postulates of the Bohr model of the hydrogen atom can be stated ...
chem - Calculate the frequency of the light emitted when an electron in a ...

For Further Reading

First Name:
School Subject:
Answer: