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because when you climb up or down a ladder, you must step on a rung. You can't step between the rungs. the same principle applies to the movement of electrons between energy levels in an atom. (Chemistry [Mc Graw Hill] p.75)

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Is light emitted when an electron makes a transition to a lower energy level?

No, as energy is absorbed. When the reverse happens, the higher state to lower state, the electron is returning to its lower energy level ground state and energy is released in the form of a photon.


What is unique about the hydrogen spectrum and it's electron?

The hydrogen spectrum is unique because it is the simplest atomic spectrum, resulting from a single electron transitioning between quantized energy levels around a single proton in the nucleus. This simplicity allows for distinct spectral lines, each corresponding to specific wavelengths of light emitted or absorbed during these electron transitions. The Balmer series, for example, produces visible lines when the electron falls to the second energy level, showcasing the quantized nature of electron energy states. This simplicity makes hydrogen a fundamental model for understanding atomic structure and quantum mechanics.


How do electrons create the colors in a bright line emission spectrum?

When the electron falls from an higher energy level to lower energy level, photons are liberated. The energy is found to be the difference between the two levels which determines the color of the emission spectrum depending on wavelength.


How do the electron arrangement differ between the alkai metals and the nobal gases?

Alkali metals have a single electron in their outermost energy level (valence shell), which makes them highly reactive as they tend to lose that electron easily to achieve a stable electron configuration. In contrast, noble gases have full outer electron shells, meaning their valence levels are completely filled with electrons, making them stable and mostly unreactive. This fundamental difference in electron arrangement is the reason behind the contrasting chemical properties of these two groups in the periodic table.


Why is it that the bohr model does not go beyond argon?

The Bohr model of the atom is limited primarily to hydrogen and hydrogen-like ions because it simplifies the complex interactions between electrons in multi-electron atoms. In elements like argon, the presence of multiple electrons leads to electron-electron repulsion and makes the calculations of energy levels increasingly complicated. Additionally, the model assumes circular orbits and quantized energy levels, which do not accurately account for the more complex shapes and behaviors of electron clouds in heavier elements. As a result, more advanced quantum mechanical models, such as quantum mechanics and the Schrödinger equation, are necessary to describe elements beyond hydrogen accurately.

Related Questions

In the bohr model what happens when an electron makes transitions between orbits?

The electrons can only travel in certain orbits: at a certain discrete set of distances from the nucleus with specific energies. # The electrons of an atom revolve around the nucleus in orbits. These orbits are associated with definite energies and are also called energy shells or energy levels


What makes electron change from high energy to low energy?

cause it does


What element is responsible for life it has 2 electron energy levels and 4 electrons available for bonding in the outermost energy level?

Carbon is the element responsible for life with 2 electron energy levels and 4 electrons available for bonding in the outermost energy level. Its ability to form diverse organic molecules through covalent bonding makes it essential for the structure and function of living organisms.


Is light emitted when an electron makes a transition to a lower energy level?

No, as energy is absorbed. When the reverse happens, the higher state to lower state, the electron is returning to its lower energy level ground state and energy is released in the form of a photon.


How the energy of an electron at infinity can be zero?

That's just the way it is defined. When talking about potential energy, what matters is differences in energy levels; any energy level can be arbitrarily defined as zero. However, it makes calculations simpler if you define the potential energy at an infinite distance as zero.


What is unique about the hydrogen spectrum and it's electron?

The hydrogen spectrum is unique because it is the simplest atomic spectrum, resulting from a single electron transitioning between quantized energy levels around a single proton in the nucleus. This simplicity allows for distinct spectral lines, each corresponding to specific wavelengths of light emitted or absorbed during these electron transitions. The Balmer series, for example, produces visible lines when the electron falls to the second energy level, showcasing the quantized nature of electron energy states. This simplicity makes hydrogen a fundamental model for understanding atomic structure and quantum mechanics.


How do electrons create the colors in a bright line emission spectrum?

When the electron falls from an higher energy level to lower energy level, photons are liberated. The energy is found to be the difference between the two levels which determines the color of the emission spectrum depending on wavelength.


How do the electron arrangement differ between the alkai metals and the nobal gases?

Alkali metals have a single electron in their outermost energy level (valence shell), which makes them highly reactive as they tend to lose that electron easily to achieve a stable electron configuration. In contrast, noble gases have full outer electron shells, meaning their valence levels are completely filled with electrons, making them stable and mostly unreactive. This fundamental difference in electron arrangement is the reason behind the contrasting chemical properties of these two groups in the periodic table.


Which explains the change in ionization energy that occurs between removing the first and second electrons from an atom?

The ionization energy increases when removing the second electron because the remaining electrons experience a higher effective nuclear charge due to the removal of the first electron. This makes it harder to remove a second electron compared to the first one.


What is the energy band gap for germanium?

The energy band gap for germanium is around 0.67 electron volts (eV) at room temperature. This makes germanium a semiconductor with properties in between those of conductors and insulators.


What is it about the electron configuration of noble gases that makes them stable?

Noble gases have a full outer electron shell, which makes them stable because they have achieved a balanced and low-energy state.


Why is it that the bohr model does not go beyond argon?

The Bohr model of the atom is limited primarily to hydrogen and hydrogen-like ions because it simplifies the complex interactions between electrons in multi-electron atoms. In elements like argon, the presence of multiple electrons leads to electron-electron repulsion and makes the calculations of energy levels increasingly complicated. Additionally, the model assumes circular orbits and quantized energy levels, which do not accurately account for the more complex shapes and behaviors of electron clouds in heavier elements. As a result, more advanced quantum mechanical models, such as quantum mechanics and the Schrödinger equation, are necessary to describe elements beyond hydrogen accurately.