Question

Consider an electron moving from an n = 1 orbital to an n = 4 orbital. For this to occur, will the atom need to absorb energy or dissipate energy by releasing a photon of electromagnetic radiation? Is the n = 4 orbital more or less stable than the n = 1 orbital?

Answer 1

Explanation:

The electron in the atom will need to dissipate energy because the electron is moving from an n = 1 orbital to an n = 4 orbital.

The n = 4 is higher in energy (and wavelength) as well as less stable than the n=1 orbital.

Using Rybergs equation,

1/lambda = RZ^2(1/n1^2 - 1/n2^2)

Where,

lambda is the wavelength of the light emitted in vacuum,

R is the Rydberg constant for this element,

Z is the atomic number, i.e. the number of protons in the atomic nucleus of this element,

n1 is the principal quantum number of the upper energy level, and

n2 is the principal quantum number of the lower energy level for the atomic electron transition.