Question

Which of the following transitions (in a hydrogen atom) represent emission of the longest wavelength photon?

Answer:

n = 5 to n = 4




I thought the outher orbits had shorter wave length.


How exactly are they getting this answer?

Answer 1

shorter wavelengths mean higher energy, as you get further from the nucleus the distance between the orbitals decreases

n=1 to n=2 higher energy than n=2 to n=3

more energy -> shorter wavelength

Answer 2

what about smallest frequency ?

Answer 3

the problem is that you're thinking about their potential energy, this question is asking about the transit between orbitals

Answer 4

short wavelength = high frequency btw

Answer 5

In terms of energy:

a>b>c

Answer 6

ok. which of the following represent the emission of a photon with largest energy? n -2 to n1 ,
n -3 to n=1,
n =6 to n=3,
n=1 to n=4 or
n=2 to n=5?

Answer 7

I say it's 6 to 3

Answer 8

it's 1 to 4

Answer 9

how? it's talking about emission which goes from outer to inner orbits right?

Answer 10

i just noticed it said emission, so yes, sorry you're right

Answer 11

okay. I begin to understand it better. Thanks!

Answer 12

good stuff !

Answer 13

The answer was n =3 to n =1

Answer 14

lol you typed "n -3 to n=1"

Answer 15

Okay, what about this other problem

)

Choose the transition (in a hydrogen atom) below that represents the absorption of the shortest wavelength photon.
A)

n = 1 to n = 2
B) n = 2 to n = 3
C) n = 4 to n = 5
D) n = 6 to n = 3
E) n = 3 to n = 1

I'm still having troulbe understanding why 1 to n represents shortest wavelength here :/

Answer 16

n = 1 to n = 2

Answer 17

yeah, n=1 to n=2 is the answer, because it's the furthest distance in the options.

think of it like the energy needed to travel/transit between the 2 levels.. n=1 to n=2 are further apart.

in terms of wavelength, the shorter it is, the more energetic it is, it's counter intuitive lol

Answer 18

okay, i think I'm just confusing this with the electromagnetic spectrum because it's the opposite.

Answer 19

Because on the electromagnetic spectrum shorter wave length means higher energy I think.

Answer 20

no it's the same thing. you're not understanding that the greatest distance is from the first to the second level, and as you go further out, the distance intervals decrease