A blue line is observed at 486.1 nm in the spectrum of atomic hydrogen. Determine the values of "n" for the beginning and ending energy levels of the electron during the emission of energy that leads to this spectral line.
Since you know that the blue line is in the Balmer series since the wavelength is in the visible light spectrum, the ending energy level is going to be n=2. In the answer key, it says that n(1)= 2 and n(2)= 4. My question is that why would n(1)= 2 because isn't n(1) the initial energy level so wouldn't n(1)=4 and n(2)=2?
Achieve Assignment due Week 4: Question #11
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Re: Achieve Assignment due Week 4: Question #11
Hi!
For this question, I used the given wavelength to determine the frequency of the wave by plugging it into the equation (v)(wavelength)=speed of light. I then used the equation v=R(1/n1^2-1/n2^2) by plugging in the frequency, Rydberg's constant, and n1 which we know is equal to 2 since it is in the Balmer series. This makes n2 your unknown which comes out to be 4. In this question n1 represents the final energy because we are subtracting n2 from this value, and we know that for this particular type of problem, it is 'final-initial.' I think it would depend on which way you decide to set up you equation, but the value being subtracted from will always be the final energy level.
Hope this helps!
For this question, I used the given wavelength to determine the frequency of the wave by plugging it into the equation (v)(wavelength)=speed of light. I then used the equation v=R(1/n1^2-1/n2^2) by plugging in the frequency, Rydberg's constant, and n1 which we know is equal to 2 since it is in the Balmer series. This makes n2 your unknown which comes out to be 4. In this question n1 represents the final energy because we are subtracting n2 from this value, and we know that for this particular type of problem, it is 'final-initial.' I think it would depend on which way you decide to set up you equation, but the value being subtracted from will always be the final energy level.
Hope this helps!
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Re: Achieve Assignment due Week 4: Question #11
For these kinds of questions, I've been thinking of them in terms of which n-value the Balmer/Lyman series starts at and then, in context of the Rydberg equation, which n value (n1 or n2) we're solving for based on the information we're given. I tend to think of n1 as initial and n2 as the ending level each time.
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