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Ch.7 - Periodic Properties of the Elements
Chapter 7, Problem 109 e

Moseley established the concept of atomic number by studying X rays emitted by the elements. The X rays emitted by some of the elements have the following wavelengths: Element Wavelength (pm) Ne 1461 Ca 335.8 Zn 143.5 Zr 78.6 Sn 49.1 (e) A particular element emits X rays with a wavelength of 98.0 pm. What element do you think it is?

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Key Concepts

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

Atomic Number

The atomic number of an element is defined as the number of protons in its nucleus, which determines the element's identity and its position in the periodic table. Moseley's work demonstrated that the atomic number is a more fundamental property than atomic mass, as it correlates with the X-ray wavelengths emitted by elements when they are excited.
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X-ray Emission

X-ray emission occurs when high-energy electrons collide with atoms, causing inner-shell electrons to be ejected and resulting in the transition of outer-shell electrons to lower energy levels. This transition releases energy in the form of X-rays, with specific wavelengths that are characteristic of each element, allowing for the identification of elements based on their emitted X-ray wavelengths.
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Wavelength and Energy Relationship

The wavelength of electromagnetic radiation is inversely related to its energy, as 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. Shorter wavelengths correspond to higher energy photons, which is crucial for understanding the X-ray emissions from elements and determining their atomic numbers based on the observed wavelengths.
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