HW Problem 1.47

[taiyeojeikere-3C]

Can someone explain what the particle-in-a-box model is (for a hydrogen model and treating the atom as a one-dimensional box pf length 150 pm) , and how would I use it to predict the wavelength of radiation emitted from different energy levels ( a)falls from the level with n 5 to that of n 4 b)same but from n 4 to n 3?

[Chem_Mod]

The first part of your question: the particle in a box model essentially states that if an electron is bound to an atom, then it must be within the diameter of the atom. We can't say exactly where it is on the atom, but we can say it is within some area. This gives an uncertainty in the electron's position, which we can use in the heizenberg uncertainty principle.

Second part: you would use the equation E=-hR/n² to calculate the energy for a given level, then do Efinal-Einitial to get the difference.