The energy levels of the hydrogen atom vary with the principal quantum number n as
Correct answer: C. inversely proportional to n squared
- A. proportional to n
- B. proportional to n squared
- C. inversely proportional to n squared
- D. independent of n
Explanation
The energy is minus 13.6 divided by n squared electron volts, so the levels crowd closer together as n rises and converge on zero at ionisation. This convergence is directly visible in a spectrum, where the lines of a series bunch towards the series limit. It also explains why transitions between high levels emit low energy infrared photons.
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About Atomic Spectra
Atoms emit or absorb light at specific wavelengths because electrons occupy quantized energy levels and change levels by absorbing or releasing photons. The topic covers emission and absorption spectra, spectral series, hydrogen’s line spectrum, energy-level transitions, and the relation between wavelength, frequency and photon energy.
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