## 1A. 15, Question about Electron Excitement, Ground State

H-Atom ($E_{n}=-\frac{hR}{n^{2}}$)

Sam Wentzel 1F 14B
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### 1A. 15, Question about Electron Excitement, Ground State

1A.15. In the ultraviolet spectrum of atomic hydrogen, a line is observed at 102.6 nm. Determine the values of n for the initial and final energy levels of the electron during the emission of energy that leads to this spectral line.

I've determined that the n values are n=1, and n=3 respectively. My question is, is n=1 the final energy level, and n=3 the initial?

Additionally, my understanding of the way electron excitement works is this: An electron is at ground state, say n=1, and enters excited state when it is energized, elevating to perhaps the n=2 state. During this stage, the energy is "given off" by the electron. Finally, the electron returns to ground state. Is this correct?

Siwa Hwang 3G
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### Re: 1A. 15, Question about Electron Excitement, Ground State

Yes. n=1 is the final energy level and n=3 is the initial energy level.
So the electron starts of at an initial level, gets excited to a higher level, and emits energy AS it returns to its ground state.

Isaac Wen
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### Re: 1A. 15, Question about Electron Excitement, Ground State

Building off of what Siwa said, the electrons are actually losing energy while emitting light when they move down from a higher atomic level to a lower one. They are absorbing energy when they are moving from a lower level to a higher level. Also as a side note, when you're using the v= R (1/n1^2-1/n2^2) equation, n1 is always gonna be the lower energy level.