Indicate whether energy is emitted or absorbed when the following electronic transitions occur in hydrogen: (a) from n = 2 to n = 3

Video transcript

hey everyone in this example, we're given the below electronic transitions for a hydrogen atom. And we need to identify whether these transitions correspond to emission or absorption of energy. So what we should do is recall what these terms mean. So beginning with absorption, we should recall that that is describing a decrease in our energy level and moving to an increase in our energy level. And we should recall that energy level is represented by the term end. We also want to think of our term emission and we should recall that that's describing starting at an increased energy level and going to a decrease in energy level. And so to begin part A of this question, We begin at energy level four And we're transitioning to energy level six as depicted in the question. So what we should recognize is that energy level four is less than energy level six. And sorry, I should use the same color. So energy level four is less than energy level six. And so we can say that therefore we've went from a lower energy level to a higher energy level. And so therefore this is going to correspond to an absorption of energy. So this is our answer for part a absorption. Moving on to part B, We're told that we begin at energy level five And we are transitioning down to energy level two. And so because energy level five is larger than our energy level two and I keep using the blue color, it's larger than the energy level too. We can say that therefore we've gone from an increase in energy level to now a decrease in our energy level, so a smaller energy level. And therefore we can conclude that that is describing a mission of energy. And so this would be our answer for part B of this question. So moving on to part C. We begin at energy level two or the second energy level and we're transitioning to energy level three. So we're moving up and so we can conclude that Energy level two is smaller or less than energy level three. And so therefore we have went from a decrease in energy level to an increase in energy level. And so therefore we can conclude that this is also describing an absorption of energy like part A. And so this would be our third and final answer for this example. So I hope that everything be reviewed was clear. If you have any questions, please leave them down below and I will see everyone in the next practice video.