If radiation of allow wavelengths from ultraviolet to infrared is pass...
At room temperature, nearly all the atoms in hydrogen gas will be in the ground state. When light passes through the gas, photons are absorbed, causing electrons to make transitions to higher states and creating absorption lines. These lines correspond to the Lyman series since that is the series of transitions involving the ground state or n = 1 level. Since there are virtually no atoms in higher energy states, photons corresponding to transitions from n > 2 to higher states will not be absorbed.
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If radiation of allow wavelengths from ultraviolet to infrared is pass...
Introduction:
When radiation of various wavelengths is passed through hydrogen gas at room temperature, the gas can absorb certain specific wavelengths of light. These absorbed wavelengths appear as dark lines in the spectrum of the transmitted light. These lines correspond to the transitions of electrons within the hydrogen atom.
Explanation:
The hydrogen atom has discrete energy levels, and when an electron transitions between these energy levels, it either absorbs or emits a photon of a specific energy, which corresponds to a specific wavelength of light. These energy levels are determined by the quantum numbers of the electron.
Lymann Series:
- The Lyman series corresponds to transitions of the electron to the lowest energy level (n=1).
- The Lyman series lies in the ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
- When radiation from the ultraviolet region is passed through hydrogen gas at room temperature, absorption lines will be observed in the Lyman series.
- These absorption lines occur when the electrons in hydrogen atoms absorb energy from the incoming radiation and transition from higher energy levels to the n=1 energy level.
Balmer Series:
- The Balmer series corresponds to transitions of the electron to the second energy level (n=2).
- The Balmer series lies in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
- When radiation from the visible region is passed through hydrogen gas at room temperature, absorption lines will not be observed in the Balmer series.
- This is because the electrons in hydrogen atoms at room temperature are primarily in the ground state or the first excited state, and very few are in higher energy levels.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, when radiation of wavelengths from ultraviolet to infrared is passed through hydrogen gas at room temperature, absorption lines will be observed in the Lyman series but not in the Balmer series. This is because the energy levels corresponding to the Lyman series transitions are more easily accessible to electrons at room temperature compared to the energy levels of the Balmer series transitions.