Answer to Question #277914 in Physical Chemistry for Kyle

Question

1. In Bohr’s model for the hydrogen atom, the field-free energy of an orbital is determined by: (a) the principal quantum number n. (b) the orbital angular momentum quantum number l. (c) both n and l. (d) l and its projection, i.e., the magnetic quantum number ml. 2. In Bohr’s model, the kinetic energy Ek and the potential energy Ep of the hydrogen atom have the following relation: (a) Ek = 2Ep. (b) Ek = ½Ep. (c) Ek = -2Ep. (d) Ek =-½Ep. 3. The angular parts of the wavefunctions of a 3D spherical potential well with an infinite depth, the hydrogen atom, and a rigid rotor are the same, which is: (e) a sine function. (f) a Hermite polynomial. (g) a Legendre polynomial. (h) a spherical harmonics

Answer 1

When an atom changes from the excited state to the ground state, the electron has moved from a high energy state to a low energy state. When this occurs, the excess energy is released as light energy. This explains why atoms emit light when they change from an excited state back to the ground state.