AT O M I C ST RUCT URE

Energy levels
G Electronsare arranged i n defi ni te
energy levels( also called shellsor
orbitals) , at a consi derable di stance
from the nucleus.
G Electronsjump between the orbi tsby
emi tti ng or absorbi ng energy.
G The energy emi tted or absorbed i s
equal to the di fference i n energy
between the orbi ts.
Energy levels of hydrogen
G The graph showsthe energy levelsfor
the hydrogen atom. Each level i s
descri bed by a quantum number
( labeled by the i nteger n ) .
G The shell closest to the nucleushas
the lowest energy level. I t i sgenerally
termed the ground state. The states
farther from the nucleushave
successi vely more energy.
Transition from n level to
ground state
G Transi ti on from n = 2 to the ground
state, n = 1 :
Frequency = 2 4 . 6 6 x 1 0
1 4
H z
G Transi ti on from n = 3 to the ground
state, n = 1 :
Frequency = 2 9 . 2 3 x 1 0
1 4
H z
G Transi ti on from n = 4 to the ground
state, n = 1 :
Frequency = 3 0 . 8 3 x 1 0
1 4
H z
Line spectrum
G Thi sradi ati on i si n the ultraviolet
regi on of the electromagneti c
spectrum and cannot be seen by the
human eye.
Energy levels: hydrogen
atom
ground state
orbital
quantum number
shell
ultraviolet
Key words
23

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Fre q u e n c y / 1 0
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H z
G ro u n d sta te
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Energy-level schematic
Line spectrum
n = ?
n = 5
n = 4
n = 3
n = 2
n = 1
3 0 . 8 3 2 9 . 2 3 2 4 . 6 6