Question

For which of the following is energy EMITTED for the stated transition in a hydrogen atom?

Ionization of the atom

From n=3 to n=6

From an orbit of 48nm radius to one of 21nm

None of the above

Answer 1

Ionization of the hydrogen atom is enough to get excited and emitted

generally when the unexcited, hydrogen's electron is in the first energy level—the level closest to the nucleus. But if energy is supplied to the atom, the electron is excited into a higher energy level, or even removed from the atom altogether. The high voltage in a discharge tube provides that energy. Hydrogen molecules are first broken up into hydrogen atoms and electrons are then promoted into higher energy levels.

Suppose a particular electron is excited into the third energy level. It would tend to lose energy again by falling back down to a lower level. It can do this in two different ways. It could fall all the way back down to the first level again, or it could fall back to the second level and then, in a second jump, down to the first level.

The ionization energy per electron is therefore a measure of the difference in energy between the 1-level and the infinity level.