73.2k views
2 votes
what electron transition in a hydrogen atom, starting from the orbit n = 7, will produce infrared light of wavelength 410 nm?

User Dapa
by
7.2k points

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

An electron transition from the sixth energy level to the second in a hydrogen atom produces light of wavelength 410 nm, which is violet, not infrared. The question contains a misconception as the provided wavelength does not correspond to infrared light.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine which electron transition in a hydrogen atom produces infrared light of a specific wavelength, we need to use the Balmer series, which is a set of predicted electron transitions calculated using the Bohr model. For a transition starting from orbit n = 7, we look for a transition that results in infrared light of 410 nm wavelength. However, an important detail needs to be noted: a wavelength of 410 nm actually falls within the violet part of the spectrum, not the infrared. Such a wavelength corresponds to a transition to the n = 2 level, from a preceding energy level. Specifically, a wavelength of 410 nm corresponds to an electron dropping from the sixth energy level (n = 6) to the second level (n = 2).

User Ali Jamal
by
7.8k points