Questions from College Physics

Q: Suppose the electron in the hydrogen atom obeyed classical mechanics rather than

Suppose the electron in the hydrogen atom obeyed classical mechanics rather than quantum mechanics. Why should such a hypothetical atom emit a continuous spectrum rather than the observed line spectru...

Q: Why are three quantum numbers needed to describe the state of a

Why are three quantum numbers needed to describe the state of a one - electron atom (ignoring spin)?

Q: Can the electron in the ground state of hydrogen absorb a photon

Can the electron in the ground state of hydrogen absorb a photon of energy less than 13.6 eV? Can it absorb a photon of energy greater than 13.6 eV? Explain.

Q: List some ways in which quantum mechanics altered our view of the

List some ways in which quantum mechanics altered our view of the atom pictured by the Bohr theory.

Q: The ionization energies for Li, Na, K, Rb,

The ionization energies for Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs are 5.390, 5.138, 4.339, 4.176, and 3.893 eV, respectively. Explain why these values are to be expected in terms of the atomic structures.

Q: Does the light emitted by a neon sign constitute a continuous spectrum

Does the light emitted by a neon sign constitute a continuous spectrum or only a few colors? Defend your answer.

Q: An isolated atom of a certain element emits light of wavelength 520

An isolated atom of a certain element emits light of wavelength 520. nm when the atom falls from its fifth excited state into its second excited state. The atom emits a photon of wavelength 410. nm wh...

Q: The “size” of the atom in Rutherford’s model is about

The “size” of the atom in Rutherford’s model is about 1.0 x 10-10 m. (a) Determine the speed of an electron moving about the proton using the attractive electrostatic force between an electron and a p...

Q: In a Rutherford scattering experiment, an α - particle (charge

In a Rutherford scattering experiment, an α - particle (charge = +2e) heads directly toward a gold nucleus (charge = +79e). The α - particle had a kinetic energy of 5.0 MeV when very far (r ( ∞) from...

Q: Waves from a radio station have a wavelength of 3.00

Waves from a radio station have a wavelength of 3.00 x 102 m. They travel by two paths to a home receiver 20.0 km from the transmitter. One path is a direct path, and the second is by reflection from...