The emission spectrum of helium is shown below. Which emission spectrum line has the highest energy?

• A. Line A
• B. Line B
• C. Line C
• D. Line D
• E. Line E

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the energy of a photon is inversely proportional to its wavelength. This means that shorter wavelengths correspond to higher energy photons.
2. Examine the emission spectrum image provided. Identify the wavelengths associated with each line: Line A (around 450 nm), Line B (around 500 nm), Line C (around 600 nm), Line D (around 650 nm), and Line E (around 650 nm).
3. Recognize that the visible spectrum ranges from approximately 400 nm to 700 nm, with violet light having the shortest wavelength and red light having the longest wavelength.
4. Compare the wavelengths of the lines. Line A has the shortest wavelength among the options provided, indicating it has the highest energy.
5. Conclude that the emission spectrum line with the highest energy is the one with the shortest wavelength, which is Line A.