Modern Physics, Finding wave length problem wee

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
Sign up Log in
5 replies · 9K views
mr_coffee
Messages
1,613
Reaction score
1
Modern Physics, Finding wave length problem! wee!

Ello ello!
I'm having troubles getting this table started. The directions are:
Use the Bohr diagram shown below to complete the following table.
bohrdiagram.jpg



Tell the wavelength and color of light emitted when the following energy level changes occur.
Orbital change
n = 4 to n = 1
Wavelength = ?

Color/Type
Select:
red/UV/green/IR/blue

Well once i find the wave length I'm pretty sure i can just look at the table, and find the correct color it corresponds too.

So if n = 4, that looks like its pointing to the UV spectrum, but what are those numbers under it? such as: 397 389 etc

So it goes to n =1, that means it is going to give off light. and n =1 looks lkike its still in the UV spectrum. so would i take the wave lengths:
397 - 389 = 8nm? I'm assuming those numbers are in nano meters. So the color type would be UV which i got right. But I'm still confused on the wave length. I subbmited 8nm as my answer and it was wrong.Any help would be great! :biggrin:
 
Physics news on Phys.org
In the circular diagram, there is an arrow that signals the n=4 to n=1 transition. The arrow signifies the photon that is emitted when an electron drops from the n=4 to n=1 state.

Yes the numbers are the wavelength in nanometers.
 
mr_coffee said:
Well once i find the wave length I'm pretty sure i can just look at the table, and find the correct color it corresponds too.
Just follow the arrows; they point to the wavelength of the photon emitted for each transition.

So if n = 4, that looks like its pointing to the UV spectrum, but what are those numbers under it? such as: 397 389 etc
Each line in the spectrum has its wavelength listed.

So it goes to n =1, that means it is going to give off light. and n =1 looks lkike its still in the UV spectrum. so would i take the wave lengths:
397 - 389 = 8nm? I'm assuming those numbers are in nano meters. So the color type would be UV which i got right. But I'm still confused on the wave length. I subbmited 8nm as my answer and it was wrong.Any help would be great!
No need to subtract anything. Find the n = 4 to 1 transition, follow the arrow, then read off the wavelength.
 
thanks guys that worked for the first, the answer was: 389 nm, and it was UV. I just looked at n4 and followed the arrow to the 389.
but i went onto the next one which is:
n = 4 n = 2, i wrote down the wave length of the n = 2, and the n =4, both wrong and its also saying its not even UV light anymore. But if u follow the arrows n = 2, and n = 4 are both in the UV. Any ideas what I'm misinterpreting? thanks!
 
A wavelength corresponds to a transition between two levels, so to say that you found the wavelength for n = 2 or n = 4 doesn't make sense. Find the arrow that shows the electron falling from n = 4 to n = 2; that's the one you want.
 
Oo i got what your saying now! thanks a ton Doc!