Skill 17. 3 Analyzing the relationships among electron energy levels, photons, and atomic spectra

Skill 17. 3 Analyzing the relationships among electron energy levels, photons, and atomic spectra 

In atomic emission spectroscopy, the electrons of an element are excited by heating or by an electric discharge. The frequencies of emitted photons are then determined as the electrons release energy. 

The energy of an electron (E ) is inversely proportional to its radius from the nucleus. For a hydrogen atom, the principle quantum number determines the energy of an electron using the Rydberg constant Rh = 2.18x10 J)  

The Rydberg constant is used to determine the energy of a photon emitted or absorbed by an electron transition from one shell to another in the H atom  

Planck s constant and the speed of light are often used to express the Rydberg constant in units of s or length. The formulas below determine the photon frequency or wavelength corresponding to a given electron transition  

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