Photon Energy and Atomic Transitions

The video tutorial provides solutions to modern physics problems 15 and 16. Problem 15 involves determining whether a photon with 6.2 electron volts can be absorbed by a Mercury atom in the ground state. The solution involves checking energy level differences and concludes that the photon cannot be absorbed. Problem 16 explores the number of spectral lines an atom can emit and identifies the transition with the highest energy. The systematic approach to solving these problems is demonstrated using energy level diagrams.

What is the energy of the photon entering the Mercury atom?

• 8.2 electron volts

• 7.2 electron volts

• 6.2 electron volts

• 5.2 electron volts

What is required for a photon to be absorbed by an atom?

• Photon energy must be less than the ionization energy

• Photon energy must match the energy difference between two levels

• Photon energy must be greater than the ionization energy

• Photon energy must be zero

Why can't the photon with 6.2 electron volts be absorbed by the Mercury atom?

• It is absorbed by another atom

• It does not match any energy level difference

• It is too high to ionize the atom

• It is too low to excite the atom

What must electrons do to emit photons?

• Travel up the energy level diagram

• Leave the atom completely

• Travel down the energy level diagram

• Stay in the same energy level

How many spectral lines can be emitted by the atom?

• Five

• Seven

• Four

• Six

Which transition produces the photon with the highest energy?

• E3 to E1

• E4 to E3

• E4 to E2

• E4 to E1