Askiitians Tutor Team
Last Activity: 10 Days ago
To determine the atomic number of a hydrogen-like atom that emits six wavelengths from transitions between energy levels ranging from -0.86 eV to -0.544 eV, we can use the Rydberg formula and some fundamental concepts of quantum mechanics. Let's break this down step by step.
Understanding Hydrogen-like Atoms
A hydrogen-like atom is one that has only one electron, similar to hydrogen, but with a nucleus that has more than one proton. The energy levels of such atoms can be described by the formula:
E_n = -\frac{Z^2 \cdot 13.6 \, \text{eV}}{n^2}
Here, Z is the atomic number (the number of protons in the nucleus), and n is the principal quantum number (1, 2, 3, ...). The energy levels are negative because they represent bound states of the electron.
Identifying Energy Levels
Given the energy levels of -0.86 eV and -0.544 eV, we can set up equations to find the principal quantum numbers corresponding to these energies.
- For the first energy level (-0.86 eV):
-0.86 = -\frac{Z^2 \cdot 13.6}{n_1^2}
- For the second energy level (-0.544 eV):
-0.544 = -\frac{Z^2 \cdot 13.6}{n_2^2}
Calculating the Atomic Number
From the equations above, we can rearrange them to solve for Z:
Z^2 = \frac{0.86 \cdot n_1^2}{13.6}
Z^2 = \frac{0.544 \cdot n_2^2}{13.6}
Next, we need to determine the possible values of n_1 and n_2 that would yield six wavelengths. The number of transitions (wavelengths) between energy levels can be calculated using the formula:
Number of transitions = n(n - 1)/2
Setting this equal to 6, we find:
n(n - 1) = 12
Solving this quadratic equation gives us n = 4 (since n must be a positive integer).
Finding the Atomic Number
Now that we know n = 4, we can substitute this value back into our equations to find Z:
Using either energy level equation, let's use -0.86 eV:
Z^2 = \frac{0.86 \cdot 4^2}{13.6} = \frac{0.86 \cdot 16}{13.6} = \frac{13.76}{13.6} \approx 1.01
Taking the square root gives us Z ≈ 1.
Final Thoughts
However, this indicates that the atom behaves like hydrogen. If we consider the second energy level (-0.544 eV) and repeat the calculation, we find that the atomic number must be greater than 1 to account for the observed transitions. In fact, if we assume the atom is singly ionized helium (He+), we can find that:
Z = 2
Thus, the atomic number of the hydrogen-like atom emitting six wavelengths from the specified energy levels is likely 2, indicating that it is a helium ion.