Atomic Emission Spectra

Question 1

electromagnetic spectrum

Answer 1

• electromagnetic radiation is energy transmitted as waves
• spectrum of different frequencies
• along spectrum radiation increases in frequency and decreases in wavelength

Question 2

ground state

Answer 2

• atoms have their electrons in their lowest possible energy levels
• electrons release energy in fixed amounts

Question 3

moving to higher energy levels

Answer 3

• electrons taking in energy from surroundings which means can move to higher energy levels
• which means further away from the nucleus so they get exicted

Question 4

how do electrons release energy?

Answer 4

• from dropping from a high energy level to low

- they have fixed values so its discrete

Question 5

live spectra (emission spectra)

Answer 5

• shows frequencies of light emitted when electrons drop down from higher energy levels to lower
• appears as coloured lines
• each element has different electron arrangement
• frequencies of radiation absorbed and emitted are different
• spectrum of each element is unique

Question 6

set lines

Answer 6

• each set represents electrons moving to a different energy level
• 1 set of lines produced when electrons fall to the n=1 level
• another set produced when they fall to n=2 level
• as frequencies increase lines get closer together

Question 7

emission spectra support idea of quantum shells

Answer 7

• 4 principles
• electrons can only exists in fixed orbitals or shells and not anywhere in-between
• each shell has a fixed energy
• when an electron moves between shells electromagnetic radiation is emitted or absorbed
• energy of shells fixed so radiation fixed frequency

Question 8

clear lines

Answer 8

-electron doesn’t move it jumps with no in-between stage at all