Can One Electron Make Two Transitions in a Row?

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Sumanth
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Homework Statement



Three photons coming from excited atomic hydrogen sample are picked up. Their energies are 12.1 eV, 10.2 eV and 1.9 eV. These photons must come from?
A)two or three atoms
B)single atom
C)three atoms
D)two atoms

The Attempt at a Solution


By solving it i got single atom but it is not the answer...
 
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Simon Bridge said:
Please show your working and reasoning.

In a hydrogen atom energy of k level is -13.6eV
L level is -3.4eV
M level is -1.5eV
Now if electrons dexcite from M level then there is possibility for the three values of the energy of photons released... That's the reason I got only single atom
 
Sumanth said:
Now if electrons dexcite from M level
How many electrons are there in each atom?
 
One. Electron in each atom ... So. I think answer will be three ... I didnt think of the number of electrons but i thought of only possibilities