spectroscopy Flashcards
what is the speed of light?
3x10^8m/s
what is the equation between speed of light, frequency and wavelength?
c = λf
what does this equation show?
that wavelength is inversely proportional to frequency
what is planck’s law? what do each of these represent?
E = hf
E = energy of a photon in Joules
h = 6.63x10^-34
f = frequency
how are frequency and wavelength related, use the equation to explain this
f α 1/λ
summarise how we use the electromagnetic spectrum for spectroscopy
spectroscopic excitations come about as a result of the movement of an electron(s) from lower to higher levels or vice versa. We can use these to work out the energy gaps between subshells and orbitals
what does absorption spectroscopy measure?
light energy absorbed by an atom causing an electron to move from a lower energy level to a higher one
why do are the gaps between energy levels decreasing in absorption spectroscopy?
the energy differences is decreasing as frequency increases
what does emission spectroscopy measure?
measure the light emitted when the excited electron falls back to lower energy levels
why does an emission spectrum consist of a series of sharp lines?
because the energy levels are quantised (so only certain energy transitions are possible and certain frequencies are observed)
define ‘convergence limit’
the point in the emission spectrum when the separate lines cannot be distinguished at n = ∞
what happens at the convergence limit?
the nucleus has lost influence over the electron and therefore ionisation occurs
how do you work out the ionisation energy from the convergence limit?
frequency at the convergence limit
E=hf
how would you convert from J per atom to kJmol-3
energy J per atom x avogadros constant ÷1000
how would you get from nm to m?
x10^-9