Inorganic Chemistry

Question 1

what are electromagnetic radiation?

Answer 1

waves that have both wavelength and frequency

Question 2

what is wavelength?
symbol
units
description

Answer 2

lambda
metres but visible wavelength in nm
distance between adjacent wave crests

Question 3

what is velocity?
symbol
units
description

Answer 3

C
m s-1
rate of advance of any one wave crest

Question 4

what is wavenumber?
symbol
units
description

Answer 4

V
m-1
number of waves in 1 metre or in centimeter of radiation (used in place of frequency)

Question 5

what is frequency?
symbol
units
description

Answer 5

f
Hertz (Hz)
the number of wavelengths or cycles passing a point in 1 second

Question 6

what is the electromagnetic spectrum?

Answer 6

its made up of types of radiation arranged in order of wavelength

Question 7

relationship between wavelength, frequency and energy

Answer 7

as wavelength increases, frequency and energy decreases

Question 8

what can electromagnetic radiation be described as?

Answer 8

• a wave with wavelength and frequency
• a particle

Question 9

what is a photon?

Answer 9

a photon carries quantised energy proportional to the frequency of radiation

Question 10

what happens to electromagnetic radiation when it is absorbed or emitted?

Answer 10

it behaves as a stream of particles called photons