## Atomic Spectra

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

MaryBanh_2K
Posts: 101
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:21 am

### Atomic Spectra

Why are there gaps and certain chunks of vertical lines on the atomic spectra and what do they represent?

Chem_Mod
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### Re: Atomic Spectra

There are gaps in the atomic spectra because the energy levels of atoms are quantized (i.e n=1, n=2, n=3). When an electron releases a photon, its energy is dependent on the change in energy level (from n=2 to n=1 for instance). If the energy levels of atoms were not quantized the atomic spectra would be a continuous band rather than discrete vertical lines.

LNgo 1G
Posts: 100
Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: Atomic Spectra

Atoms in the same energy level are close together on the spectrum which would explain the chunks. The gaps represent the jump between energy levels since they are quantized rather than continuous.

claudia_1h
Posts: 111
Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: Atomic Spectra

Note that the dark lines show that the atom can only absorb radiation at certain frequencies. Each element has a specific, characterizing absorption spectrum.

Arianna Perea 3H
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Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:17 am

### Re: Atomic Spectra

what happens when energy of photon equals the threshold?

505316964
Posts: 95
Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2019 12:17 am

### Re: Atomic Spectra

When the energy of the photon matches the energy of an electron that photon is emitted or absorbed.

when a high energy electron drops to lower energy level, the difference in energy is given off as a photon.