Absorbing photons, hydrogen energy levels

A particular hydrogen atom makes a transition from the energy level at −1.51 eV to the energy level at −0.85 eV

What is the energy of the photon involved in this process?

Do I add the energy or minus it to work it out? I know you minus it if a photon is emitted but I'm not sure if you add them when a photon is absorbed

Thanks :smile:

Reply 1

raceforthefishman

2

(ooh the physics forum I feel like a traitor)

fairly sure that it means the atom has lost energy toward the ground state
therefor the photon is emmited so i would find the difference!

Reply 2

alveolus

11

The energy change is the energy of the photon involved. So whether the hydrogen energy increases (photon absorbed) or decreases (photon emitted), its just the difference. The minus sign is just a convention.

So in this case, the hydrogen has absorbed a photon of energy 1.51-0.85 = 0.66eV

Reply 3

rbnphlp

11

Geek1337

A particular hydrogen atom makes a transition from the energy level at −1.51 eV to the energy level at −0.85 eV

What is the energy of the photon involved in this process?

Do I add the energy or minus it to work it out? I know you minus it if a photon is emitted but I'm not sure if you add them when a photon is absorbed

Thanks :smile:

the hydrogen atom has moved from a lower energy to higher energy level so a photon must have been absorbed , -0.85+1.51= 0.66 ev . Now times this by 1 ev (

1.6 * 10^{-19}

) to get the energy which is in joules

Absorbing photons, hydrogen energy levels

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you