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Emission Spectrum (Simplified) quiz #1 Flashcards

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Emission Spectrum (Simplified) quiz #1
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  • When does an atom emit light in terms of electron transitions?
    An atom emits light when an electron transitions from a higher energy shell to a lower energy shell, releasing energy in the form of light.
  • How do the photons emitted from an atom appear in its emission spectrum?
    The photons emitted from an atom appear as discrete lines of specific wavelengths in the emission spectrum.
  • What role does the slit play in the formation of an emission spectrum?
    The slit focuses the emitted light into a narrow beam. This helps to separate closely packed wavelengths for measurement.
  • How does a prism contribute to the observation of an emission spectrum?
    A prism splits the focused light into its component wavelengths. This creates discrete lines that can be observed and measured on the emission spectrum.
  • Why is the number of electron shells in an atom considered theoretically infinite?
    The number of shells is considered infinite because we have not discovered all possible elements. There may be atoms with more shells than currently known.
  • What happens to an electron when it returns to its ground state?
    When an electron returns to its ground state, it drops to a lower energy shell. This process releases energy in the form of light.
  • How can measuring the wavelengths in an emission spectrum help determine the energy of emitted light?
    Measuring the wavelengths allows calculation of the energy and frequency of the emitted light. This is because energy and frequency are related to wavelength by physical laws.
  • What is the purpose of focusing emitted energy before it passes through a prism?
    Focusing the emitted energy ensures that the light is directed and organized for analysis. This makes it easier to split and measure the wavelengths accurately.
  • What does each colored line in an emission spectrum represent?
    Each colored line represents a specific wavelength of light emitted by an electron transition. These lines correspond to different energy changes within the atom.
  • Why might there be elements with emission spectra we have not yet observed?
    There may be undiscovered elements in the universe with unique emission spectra. Our current knowledge is limited to the elements we have found and studied.