Question

Why do larger gases such as Neon produce more color bands (line spectra) than smaller gases like Hydrogen?

Answer 1

Larger gases like Neon produce more color bands (line spectra) than smaller gases like Hydrogen because they have more energy levels and therefore more possible electronic transitions. The number of color bands in a line spectrum is determined by the number of possible electronic transitions.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a gas is heated, it emits light in the form of a line spectrum. The line spectrum consists of discrete, colored lines that correspond to specific wavelengths of light. Larger gases like Neon produce more color bands (line spectra) than smaller gases like Hydrogen because larger atoms have more energy levels and therefore more possible electronic transitions.

For example, Neon has ten electrons and its line spectrum consists of several distinct lines in the visible range, including red, orange, and blue. In contrast, Hydrogen has only one electron and its line spectrum consists of four distinct lines, called the Balmer series, with wavelengths in the red, green, blue, and violet regions of the spectrum.

Therefore, the number of color bands in a line spectrum is determined by the number of possible electronic transitions, which is higher for larger gases due to their larger number of energy levels.

Answer 2

Well, Due to the electrons returning to ground state from excited state. Neon lighting consists of brightly glowing, electrified glass tubes or bulbs. The lengths that the electrons have to travel differ, thus the color produced are different and the color of the light depends on the gas in the tube.