Chapter 5

Electrons
in Atoms

Sec 5.1 Light & Quantized Energy

Study of light led to development of quantum
mechanical model.
Light is electromagnetic radiation.
EM radiation: gamma rays, x-rays, radio
waves, microwaves
Speed of light = 2.998 x 108 m/s in a vacuum
abbreviated c
celeritas Latin for speed

Theory #1:
Light moves as
a Wave

Wavelength
Wavelength:
- distance b/w equivalent points on a wave
- represented by greek letter lambda -
- measured from crest-to-crest or trough-to-trough
- recorded in nanometers (1nm = 10-9 meters)

Parts of a wave
Crest

Wavelength
Amplitude

Origin
Trough

Frequency
Frequency:
- # of waves that pass a given point per second
- represented by greek letter nu -
- Recorded in Hertz (1Hz = seconds-1)
Amplitude:
- Height of a wave from the origin to crest/trough

Wavelength v. Frequency
INVERSELY RELATED!!
- As one increases, the other decreases.

Different frequencies of light yield

different colors
B/c theres a wide variety of frequencies
we call it a SPECTRUM

- Page 139

R O Y

Frequency Increases

Wavelength Longer

B I V

Equation:

c =

c = speed of light, a constant (2.998 x 108 m/s)

(lambda) = wavelength, in meters
(nu) = frequency, in units of hertz (hz or sec-1)

High
Energy

Low
Energy
Radio Micro Infrared
waves waves .

Gamma
Ultra- Xviolet Rays Rays

Low
Frequency

High
Frequency

Long
Wavelength

Short
Wavelength

Visible Light

Long
Wavelength
=
Low Frequency
=
Low ENERGY

Short
Wavelength
=
High Frequency
=
High ENERGY

Atomic (Electromagnetic EM) Spectra

White light contains a
continuous range of
wavelengths &
frequencies - all
colors of visible
spectrum.
A prism separates it.

If the light is not white

Heating a gas with
electricity will emit
colors... Each element
gives off its own
characteristic color
This is how we know the
composition of stars

 Atomic Emission Spectrum

Unique to each element, like fingerprints!
IDs elements

Theory #2:
Light is a Particle
IF Energy is quantized (Conservation of Energy)
AND Light is energy..
THENlight must be quantized!!

Light is a Particle??

(Max Planck)

Photons
mass-less particle carrying a quantum of
energy
smallest piece/packet of light

Photoelectric effect:
Matter emits e- when it absorbs energy
Albert Einstein Nobel Prize in chem

Energy & frequency are directly related.

Theory: energy (E ) of EMR is directly

proportional to frequency () of radiation.
Planck-Einstein Equation:

E = h

E = Energy, in units of Joules (kgm2/s2)

(Joule is metric unit of energy)

h = Plancks constant (6.626 x 10-34 Js)

(reflecting sizes of energy quanta)

= frequency, in units of hertz (hz, sec-1)

Electron Math
There are 2 equations:

c =
E = h
Well be using these

Examples
1) What is the wavelength of blue light

with a frequency of 8.3 x 1015 hz?

2) What is the frequency of red light with

a wavelength of 4.2 x 10-5 m?

3) What is the energy of a photon in #2?

Explanation of atomic spectra

Ground state
Energy level where an electron starts
from its lowest energy level.

Excited state
Unstable energy level where an electron
moves toa higher energy level.

Quantum
The amount of energy needed to move
an electron from the ground to excited
state.

Niels Bohrs Model

Electrons move like planets around sun.
specific circular orbits at different
levels.
An amount of fixed energy separates
one level from another.

The Bohr Model of the Atom

I pictured the
electrons orbiting
the nucleus much
like planets
orbiting the sun.

Niels Bohr

However, electrons
are found in
specific circular
paths around the
nucleus, and can
jump from one
level to another.

Bohrs model
Energy level measure of fixed
energy e- can have
Like rungs of ladder

e- cant exist between energy

levels
cant stand b/w rungs on ladder

Unlike ladder, energy levels are

not evenly spaced
Higher energy levels closer together
less energy needed for jump

Changing the energy Bohr model

Lets look at a hydrogen atom, with only
one electron, and in the first energy
N = quantum number
level.
or energy level

Changing the energy

Heat, electricity, or light can move electron up
to excited

Changing the energy

As electron falls back to ground state, it
gives energy back as light

Changing the energy

e- fall in specific steps, each with a specific energy

Bohr Quantum Model

This theory worked for Hydrogen
And thats all.
This theory did not hold true for any other
element, which is why researchers backed the
wave theory.

STILL MORE TO COME for CH 5