Calculate Speed of Recoiling Hydrogen Atom After Transition to Ground State

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a hydrogen atom transitioning from the n = 4 quantum state to the ground state, resulting in the emission of a photon and the recoil of the atom. The subject area pertains to quantum mechanics and conservation laws.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to calculate the energy difference and potential energy but is uncertain about the mass to assign to the hydrogen atom. Some participants suggest considering conservation principles during the emission process and question the need for additional information.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring the conservation of momentum and energy in the context of the problem. Some guidance has been offered regarding the conservation laws, but no consensus has been reached on the specifics of the mass to use.

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the armed pacifist
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A hydrogen atom, initially at rest in the n = 4 quantum state, undergoes a transition to the ground state, emitting a photon in the process. What is the speed (in terms of m/s) of the recoiling hydrogen atom?

anyone knows what to do? i calculated the energy difference and got 12.75 eV and i calculated the potential energy as well, but i don't know which mass to assign the atom...

any help is appreciated...
 
Physics news on Phys.org
(1) What's conserved during the emission?
(2) You can look up the mass of a hydrogen atom!
 
reply

well, that's the thing- the problem doesn't state anything more than I put on there... the mass of a hydrogen atom will be that of 1 proton, but I'm not sure if that's what i should look for...

any thoughts?
 
You don't need any more information to solve the problem. What's the answer to my first question? (Hint: In any kind of "explosion", what's conserved?)
 

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