Take the potential energy of a hydrogen atom to be zero for infinite separation of the electron and porton. Then the ground state energy of a hydrogen atom is -13.6 eV. When the electron is in the first excited state the ionization energy is:
A) 0
B) 3.4 eV
C) 6.8 eV
D) 10.2 eV
E) 13.6 eV

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom. When the electron is in the first excited state of a hydrogen atom, it has energy of -3.4 eV (-13.6 eV/4), which means that if we add 3.4 eV of energy to the system, the electron will have enough energy to leave the atom completely. Therefore, the ionization energy is 3.4 eV.

Take the Potential Energy of a Hydrogen Atom to Be