Quantized Energy Emission in Atoms: Experimental Evidence | Chemistry Question

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the question of what experimental evidence supports the idea that energy emission by atoms is quantized. Participants explore concepts related to atomic theory, spectral lines, and historical experiments in chemistry and physics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant asks for clarification on the question regarding quantized energy emission and expresses uncertainty about its connection to isotopes and radioactive substances.
  • Another participant suggests looking into the Balmer, Lyman, Paschen, and Pfund series as evidence of quantized behavior in hydrogen, noting that other atoms are more complex due to interelectronic interactions.
  • A different reply mentions Max Planck's work on radiation and the photoelectric effect as foundational to understanding quantization in energy emission.
  • One participant describes the historical context of spectral lines as "fingerprints" of elements, emphasizing the significance of experiments conducted by Balmer and the implications of quantized energy states as proposed by Bohr.
  • There are references to specific wavelengths and frequencies associated with atomic emission spectra, as well as the relationship between energy levels and the observed spectral lines.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various viewpoints and references regarding the evidence for quantized energy emission, but there is no clear consensus on a singular answer or approach to the question posed.

Contextual Notes

Some participants mention specific historical experiments and theories without fully resolving the connections between them or the implications for different atomic models. There are also indications of incomplete understanding of the question's requirements among some participants.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for students studying atomic theory, quantum mechanics, or those preparing for chemistry examinations, particularly in understanding the historical and experimental context of quantized energy emission.

amtmail
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Hi everyone, i am a new member here. I really liked this website and i would like to thank everyone who's registered here. I have a quick question in chemistry and i really would like to know the answer of it. the answer would be really appreciated from whoever is going to answer it for me and thanks so much. my question is as the following:

q. what experimental evidence requires that the emission of energy by an atom be quantized?
(waiting for ur responses)
that's it for now... and have a nice day everyone. :smile:
 
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What have you studied? Please show us some of your attempts of your brainstorming. Frequently, you have the traces of the answer in your mind, and only you'll do is to gather them.
 
thanks for ur response

thanx for ur response...the thing is that i am not sure what the question is asking for since i don't fully understand it. i have been studying the atomic theory and the basic concepts concerning isotopes and radioactive substances, that's it so far... so i don't know if it has to do with isotopes and radioactive substances. and thanx.
 
Well, I am not sure about so-physics-related-chemistry issues, but look for Balmer, Lyman, Paschen, or Pfund series, characteristic for hydrogen atom. These show clearly that there is a quantized behavior in hydrogen atom. The same approach in other atoms are rather complicated due to interelectronic interactions. However, single-electron ions like Li+ can be calculated, if I am not wrong.
 
hello again

thanks a lot for ur response...i really appreciate. i am going to look for these series that u gave me but where can i find them just to save some time since i am really busy thes days and i really want to get this question before this coming thursday since i have a test and i really need help.
take care. :confused:
 
http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/quantumzone/index.html

Look into Max Planck's work on radiation, and how he figured their energies must be quantized.

Also look into the photoelectric effect, and the explanation of the effect by Einstein.

Try Googling "atomic spectra" or "balmer lyman paschen bracket pfund". Chem_tr's already mentioned this and really all you have to do is google the key words.
 
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Hi,

This is one of the quetsions in the SCH4UA courses offered by

TVontario's Independent Learning Program. Here is a start of an answer for the question by me. I would say that it was Batmers experimentation with hydrogen and specific energy levels analyzed with the spectroscope, revaing bandwidths of colour tied into the energy levels, and wave engths.


"Radiant Energy and Spectra
It has been known for many years that eements gave out specific

eolectromagetic radiation in the form of spectrao lines. These lines

are really an element's fingerprints. Each element gives its own

characteristic line patterns. THe coour playe d II after page 336 in

the textbook illustrates this well.

This spectrum was thhought to be associated with waves, the freqency of

which was governed by the equation

f=c/ h"lambda" (if I remember rightI don't have a lambda key)

Where f = frequnecy
c= the speed of light
lambad = the wavelength

read section 1-8 and 1-9
1-8 is dispersion of visible light

which goes into how electrons position around the nucleus.

"Each atom or array of energy acts as as a prisism that is bands are

absorbed or emited, depending on the 'mater filter' that is the

'objects that the light is passing through. This goes into Newtons

'optics' stuff. The idea of refraction. Thus wavelengths travel at

different velocities through a prism. It goess into the spectrograph

stuff.

1-9 is atomic emission spectra. Each element has it's own spectrum.
Batmer 1884 energized atoms of hydrogen gas and eaminded the visible

radiation with spectorscope he found priminentcoloured lines in the

hydrogen spectrum.
red bleu-green blue violet al thse at different ength from 6.653 x

10-7 to 4.102 x 10-7 (visible light?)
Planck in 1900 through up the quantum theory started the development of

a new atom.. Einstein confirmed this.
in 1913 bohr nailed the coffin shut on the debate.

he electrons in free atoms can will be found in only certain discrete energy states. These sharp energy states are associated with the orbits or shells of electrons in an atom, e.g., a hydrogen atom. One of the implications of these quantized energy states is that only certain photon energies are allowed when electrons jump down from higher levels to lower levels, producing the hydrogen spectrum. The Bohr model successfully predicted the energies for the hydrogen atom, but had significant failures that were corrected by solving the Schrödinger equation for the hydrogen atom.
 

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