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Ch.6 - Electronic Structure of Atoms
Chapter 6, Problem 44b

The hydrogen atom can absorb light of wavelength 1094 nm. (b) Determine the final value of n associated with this absorption.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Energy of Photons

The energy of a photon is directly related to its wavelength, described by the equation E = hc/λ, where E is energy, h is Planck's constant, c is the speed of light, and λ is the wavelength. For the hydrogen atom, when it absorbs a photon, the energy from the photon is used to excite an electron to a higher energy level.
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Quantum Energy Levels

In a hydrogen atom, electrons occupy discrete energy levels, denoted by the principal quantum number n. The energy associated with each level can be calculated using the formula E_n = -13.6 eV/n². When a photon is absorbed, the electron transitions from a lower energy level (n_initial) to a higher one (n_final), and the difference in energy corresponds to the energy of the absorbed photon.
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Balmer and Rydberg Formulas

The Rydberg formula allows for the calculation of the wavelengths of spectral lines in hydrogen and is given by 1/λ = R_H(1/n_final² - 1/n_initial²). This formula is essential for determining the final energy level (n_final) after absorption, as it relates the wavelength of light absorbed to the transition between quantum states of the hydrogen atom.
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