The energy of the light emitted when a hydrogen electron goes from n = 2 to n = 1 is what fraction of its ground-state ionization energy?
A)3/4
B)1/2
C)1/4
D)1/8
E)1/9

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The energy of the light emitted when a hydrogen electron goes from n = 2 to n = 1 is 3/4 of its ground-state ionization energy. This is because the energy levels of the hydrogen atom are quantized and inversely proportional to the square of the quantum number n. The energy difference between levels n = 1 and n = 2 corresponds to the energy emitted when an electron transitions from n = 2 to n = 1, which is 3/4 of the energy required to ionize the atom from its ground state (n = 1).

The Energy of the Light Emitted When a Hydrogen Electron