Energy Level Diagram Homework: Get Started!

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a problem involving a monatomic gas that absorbs and emits light at specific wavelengths. The context includes energy levels of the gas atoms, specifically focusing on transitions between these levels due to photon interactions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to understand the energy transitions of the gas atoms when illuminated by light, seeking guidance on how to approach the drawing and relevant equations. Some participants question the appropriateness of the physics forum for this chemistry-related topic.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring different aspects of the problem. Some guidance has been offered regarding the calculation of photon energy and the relationship between frequency and wavelength, but no consensus has been reached on the best approach to take.

Contextual Notes

The original poster indicates a lack of prior knowledge on the topic due to missing class, which may affect their understanding of the material. There is also mention of the need for clarity on the drawing and equations relevant to the problem.

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Homework Statement


A monatomic gas is illuminated with visible light of wavelength 400nm. The gas is observed to absorb some of the light and subsequently emit visible light of both 400nm and 600nm. The initial state is -5.0 eV and the ionized atom (continuous energy levels) is 0 eV.
a) Draw the situation.
b) If the inital state of the atoms has energy -5 eV, what is the energy of the state to which the atoms were excited by the 400nm light?
c) At which other wavelength(s) outside the human visible range do these atoms emit radiation after they are excited by the 400nm light?

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


I wasn't in class when my teacher covered the material, and it's not in the book.
Can someone at least just get me started, explaining the drawing and what equations I should use?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Anyone? Anyone?
 
try a post on the chemistry board.
 
But it's physics, AP physics actually. I've asked a few chem buds and they don't get it.
 
well you can calculate the energy of the photon from e=hv where v=frequency and of course c=f*lambda, different frequencies will be absorbed, the highest being that required to strip the electron (ionize) away= 5eV; alternatively, radiation is emitted in the form of a photon when an electron changes to a lower energy orbital. there should be scads of material online covering this as well as the calculations of these. here's one of hundreds: http://zebu.uoregon.edu/~soper/Light/atomspectra.html
 
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