[MissDee]

Hi,

I'm having a little trouble finding  :delta: E and wavelengths.

I need to find  :delta: E, probable transition (n_hi  n_lo), and wavelength calculated (in nm).

Wavelengths Observed:
389.02
397.12
954.86
1005.2

To find :delta: E, I know I have to subtract that higher wavelength from the lower wavelength.

For example, would this be:
(389.02) - (1005.2) = -616.18
(389.02) - (954.86) = -565.84
(389.02) - (397.12) = -8.1

(397.12) - (1005.2) = -608.08
(397.12) - (954.86) = -557.74

(954.86) - (1005.2) = -50.34


For wavelength calculated, I would then:
(1.19627 x 10⁵) / ( :delta: E)

Which would be:
(1.19627 x 10⁵) / (-616.18) = -194.14
(1.19627 x 10⁵) / (-565.84) = -211.41
(1.19627 x 10⁵) / (-8.1) = -14768.76** (is this number suppose to be like that?)

(1.19627 x 10⁵) / (-608.08) = -196.73
(1.19627 x 10⁵) / (-557.74) = -351.9

(1.19627 x 10⁵) / (-50.34) = -2376.38** (is this number suppose to be like that?)

^^ I believe I did these above calculations correctly. Please let me know if I did anything wrong.

Then, to find probable transition, I really don't know what to do. Could someone please help me out here?

[tamim83]

Each of the wavelengths you are given corresponds to a .  To get :



To get the transitions, you need to use the Rydberg equation (if this is for the H atom, if not R_H will be different).  



This should allow you to get for each transition.  

[rabolisk]

To find :delta: E, I know I have to subtract that higher wavelength from the lower wavelength.

For example, would this be:
(389.02) - (1005.2) = -616.18
(389.02) - (954.86) = -565.84
(389.02) - (397.12) = -8.1

(397.12) - (1005.2) = -608.08
(397.12) - (954.86) = -557.74

(954.86) - (1005.2) = -50.34

Look at the formula again... You did the algebra wrong.

[MissDee]

To find :delta: E, I know I have to subtract that higher wavelength from the lower wavelength.

For example, would this be:
(389.02) - (1005.2) = -616.18
(389.02) - (954.86) = -565.84
(389.02) - (397.12) = -8.1

(397.12) - (1005.2) = -608.08
(397.12) - (954.86) = -557.74

(954.86) - (1005.2) = -50.34

Look at the formula again... You did the algebra wrong.

Did I switch them by accident? Would it be:

(1005.2) - (389.02) = 616.18
(954.86) - (389.02) = 565.84
(397.12) - (389.02) = 8.1

(1005.2) - (397.12) = 608.08
(954.86) - (397.12) = 557.74

(1005.2) - (954.86) = 50.34

Is everything else correctly, only I plug in these numbers instead of the previous numbers?

[rabolisk]

To find :delta: E, I know I have to subtract that higher wavelength from the lower wavelength.

For example, would this be:
(389.02) - (1005.2) = -616.18
(389.02) - (954.86) = -565.84
(389.02) - (397.12) = -8.1

(397.12) - (1005.2) = -608.08
(397.12) - (954.86) = -557.74

(954.86) - (1005.2) = -50.34

Look at the formula again... You did the algebra wrong.

Did I switch them by accident? Would it be:

(1005.2) - (389.02) = 616.18
(954.86) - (389.02) = 565.84
(397.12) - (389.02) = 8.1

(1005.2) - (397.12) = 608.08
(954.86) - (397.12) = 557.74

(1005.2) - (954.86) = 50.34

Is everything else correctly, only I plug in these numbers instead of the previous numbers?

Make sure you understand exactly what  :delta: E and wavelength refer to..

[Schrödinger]

@tamim83 :
Shouldn't the Rydberg equation be :

$$ \dfrac{1}{\lambda} = R_{H} \mathrm{(\dfrac{1}{n_{f} ^2} - \dfrac{1}{n_{i} ^2})} /$$

[tamim83]

@Schroedinger

Yeah, you're right.  I forgot to add the powers when doing the latex (I intended to do them last).  Its fixed now.  Thanks 

[MissDee]

To find :delta: E, I know I have to subtract that higher wavelength from the lower wavelength.

For example, would this be:
(389.02) - (1005.2) = -616.18
(389.02) - (954.86) = -565.84
(389.02) - (397.12) = -8.1

(397.12) - (1005.2) = -608.08
(397.12) - (954.86) = -557.74

(954.86) - (1005.2) = -50.34

Look at the formula again... You did the algebra wrong.

Did I switch them by accident? Would it be:

(1005.2) - (389.02) = 616.18
(954.86) - (389.02) = 565.84
(397.12) - (389.02) = 8.1

(1005.2) - (397.12) = 608.08
(954.86) - (397.12) = 557.74

(1005.2) - (954.86) = 50.34

Is everything else correctly, only I plug in these numbers instead of the previous numbers?

Make sure you understand exactly what  :delta: E and wavelength refer to..

I am still really confused. 

[sjb]

I think you may need to calculate energies first, from the given wavelengths, then subtract?

[Schrödinger]

@tamim : How did you type those large brackets? Mine are small 

[tamim83]

@Schroedinger: use

Code: [Select]

\left( "content" \right)
@MissDee: The given wavelengths correspond to the photons emitted during the transition from n_hi to n_lo.  So you can use them to get the difference in energy between the two levels (one wavelength goes with one ).  You do not have to subtract the given wavelengths themselves.  

You can then use the Rydberg equation to get after some algebra.  Once you have all of the values, you may be able to deduce n_hi and n_lo for each transition.