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Part of the energy level diagram for an atom is shown X and Y represent two possible electron transitions - Scottish Highers Physics - Question 16 - 2016
Question 16
Part of the energy level diagram for an atom is shown X and Y represent two possible electron transitions. A student makes the following statements about transition... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Part of the energy level diagram for an atom is shown X and Y represent two possible electron transitions - Scottish Highers Physics - Question 16 - 2016
Step 1
I Transition Y produces photons of higher frequency than transition X.
Answer
This statement is incorrect. In the energy level diagram, transition Y corresponds to a lower energy difference compared to transition X. Since the frequency of photons is directly proportional to the energy difference (given by the formula , where is energy, is Planck's constant, and is frequency), a lower energy difference results in a lower frequency of the emitted photon.
Step 2
II Transition X produces photons of longer wavelength than transition Y.
Answer
This statement is correct. As established, transition X has a higher energy difference than transition Y. Since wavelength and frequency are inversely related (given by the equation ext{wavelength} = rac{c}{f}, where is the speed of light), a higher energy (and hence higher frequency) for transition X leads to a shorter wavelength. Therefore, transition Y, which has a lower frequency, produces photons with longer wavelengths.
Step 3
III When an electron is in the energy level E0, the atom is ionised.
Answer
This statement is correct. The energy level E0 typically represents the energy level at which an electron is completely removed from the atom, signaling ionization. When an electron has enough energy to escape the attraction from the nucleus, it is considered ionised.