Collisional excitation minimum velocity

In summary, an electron has a minimum speed before it collides with a sodium atom, and this affects the energy of the photon that is emitted.
  • #1
torchflame
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Homework Statement


A sodium atom emits a photon with wavelength 818 nm shortly after being struck by an electron. What minimum speed did the electron have before the collision?

Homework Equations


[itex]E_{particle}\geq\Delta E_{atom}[/itex]

The Attempt at a Solution


For the minimum energy, [itex]E_{particle}=\Delta E_{atom}[/itex], and because the photon was emitted due to the collision:
[itex]\frac{m_ev^2}{2}=\frac{hc}{\lambda}[/itex]
[itex]m_ev^2=\frac{2hc}{\lambda}[/itex]
[itex]v=\sqrt{\frac{2hc}{m_e \lambda}}[/itex]
[itex]v=\sqrt{\frac{2 \times 1239.842 \mathrm{eV} \times \mathrm{nm}}{9.11 \times 10^{-31} \times 818 \mathrm{nm} \times \mathrm{kg}}}[/itex]

When I evaluate this, I get [itex].73 \times 10^6 \frac{\mathrm m}{\mathrm s}[/itex], which Mastering Physics tells me is wrong. Is there something obvious I'm missing here?
 
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  • #2
The sodium atom will move after the collision, this needs some energy. I don't know which precision is required here.
 
  • #3
Okay, so if I look at the collision from the perspective of conservation of momentum, and I say [itex]M[/itex] is the mass of the sodium atom, I get that [itex]m_ev_0+0M=m_ev_{post e}+Mv_{post Na}[/itex].
If I take the minimum energy, [itex]v_{poste}=0[/itex]. That implies that the velocity of the sodium after the collision: [itex]v_{pS}=\frac{m_ev_0}{M}[/itex]. Then I think I have to assume that [itex]E_{imparted}=E_{electron}-E_{Na}[/itex]?
If I assume that, I get that [itex]E_{Na}=\frac{m_e^2v_0^2}{2M}[/itex], which implies that [itex]\frac{hc}{\lambda}=v_0^2\frac{2Mm_e-2m_e^2}{4M}[/itex] which would imply that [itex]v_0^2=\frac{hc}{\lambda}\frac{4M}{2Mm_e-2m_e^2}[/itex], which gives me [itex]v_0=730192 \frac{\mathrm{m}}{\mathrm{s}}[/itex], which Mastering Physics also says is wrong.
Help?
 
  • #4
Hmm... I agree with your value of ~730km/s, and as you calculated, those corrections are small. I really don't know which precision Mastering Physics wants (maybe it is just a matter of the correct input format?). For the minimal energy, both the nucleus and the electron should have the same velocity afterwards, and the photon will carry some momentum. Those are really tiny modifications of the result, however.
 
  • #5
Well, apparently the answer was [itex]v_0=1.16 \times 10^6 \frac{\mathrm{m}}{\mathrm{s}}[/itex], which I have absolutely no idea how they got.
Anyone have any ideas?
 
Last edited:

1. What is collisional excitation minimum velocity?

Collisional excitation minimum velocity is the minimum velocity at which a collision between two particles can cause an energy level transition in an atom or molecule. This velocity is dependent on factors such as the temperature, density, and composition of the gas.

2. How is the collisional excitation minimum velocity calculated?

The collisional excitation minimum velocity can be calculated using the formula v_min = √(2kT/m), where k is the Boltzmann constant, T is the temperature in Kelvin, and m is the mass of the particle. This formula assumes a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution of particle velocities.

3. What is the significance of collisional excitation minimum velocity?

Collisional excitation minimum velocity is important in understanding the behavior of gas particles and their interactions. It helps determine the conditions under which energy level transitions can occur and plays a role in various physical processes such as spectroscopy and gas dynamics.

4. How does collisional excitation minimum velocity relate to collisional cross-section?

Collisional excitation minimum velocity and collisional cross-section are both measures of the probability of a collision between two particles resulting in an energy level transition. However, while minimum velocity is dependent on the properties of the gas, collisional cross-section also takes into account the size and shape of the particles involved.

5. Can collisional excitation minimum velocity be experimentally measured?

Yes, collisional excitation minimum velocity can be measured through various experimental techniques such as spectroscopy or gas scattering experiments. These experiments involve analyzing the energy level transitions of gas particles under different conditions to determine the minimum velocity required for collisional excitation.

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