Question

Chemistry help?

I got the first part of the problem, but I don't understand what to do with the second.

Answer 1

`lambda ~~ 1.88 xx 10^(-6) color(white)(l) "m"`

Explanation:

Physicist Rydberg generalized for hydrogen the reciprocal of emission spectrum wavelengths (in a vacuum) `1//lambda_"vac"` due to the transition of an electron with the Rydberg Formula:

`1/lambda_"vac" = R_"H" * (1/n_"lower" - 1/n_"upper")`

where `n_"upper"` and `n_"lower"` principal quantum numbers (shell index numbers) for the electron; `R_"H"` is the Rydberg Constant for hydrogen atoms and takes the value of

`R_"H" = 1/(912 xx 10^(-10) color(white)(l) "m")`

For this particular transition

• `n_"upper" = 4`
• `n_"lower" = 3`

Thus

`1/lambda_"vac" = 1/(912 xx 10^(-10) color(white)(l) "m") * (1/(3^2) - 1/(4^2))`
`color(white)(1/lambda_"vac") ~~ 1.88 xx 10^(-6) color(white)(l) "m"`