Ionisation and Energy

Levels
Quantum Phenomena
Lesson Objectives

 Explain what is meant by ionisation of an atom

 Explain what is meant by excitation of an atom
 Explain what energy levels are
 Explain what happens when excited atoms de-
excite
 Explain how a flourescent tube works
  What is an ion?

 An ion is formed from an

Ionisation uncharged atom by adding or
removing electrons.

 Process of creating ions is

ionisation.
 Alpha, beta or gamma
radiation create ions when
pass through and collide
with atoms
 Electrons passing through a
fluorescent tube create ions
when they collide with
atoms of the gas or vapour.
  Make electrons collide at
increasing speeds with gas
atoms in a sealed tube.

 Electrons emitted from a

heated filament and are
Measuring ionisation attracted to a positive plate.

energy  Gas is very low pressure too

many atoms and electrons
cannot get through.

 Pd between filament and

positive plate increased to
increase speed of electrons.
??
  Unit of energy = work done
when an electron is moved
through a potential
difference of 1 V.

 Work done for charge q is

given by qV.
The Electron Volt
 Work done when an
Unit of energy.
electron moves through a
potential difference of 1 V
is 1.6 x 10-19J this is 1
electron volt (eV)
  Gas atoms can absorb energy
from colliding electrons
without being ionised.
Excitation.

Excitation by collision  Happens at energies that are

characteristics of the gas
atoms.
Use gas filled tubes with a metal grid
between the filament and anode.  Energy at which atom absorbs
electron energy are excitation
If colliding atom loses all kinetic energies.
energy during excitation current due
to flow of electrons through gas is  Excitation, the colliding
electron causes an electron
reduced inside the atom to move from
Increase potential difference an inner shell to an outer shell.
between the filament and anode
 Excitation energy < ionisation
measure pd when current falls. energy as electron is not
removed.
  Electron in shell near
nucleus has lower energy
than electron in outer shell

 Lowest energy level is

called ground state

Electrons in Atoms  When an electron moves

from inner shell to outer
• Trapped by electrostatic force shell it is an excited state
of attraction to nucleus.
• Move about in shells or orbits.  Excitation energy
Energy in a shell is constant. measurements used to
construct energy level
diagrams
  Electron arrangement in an
excited atom is unstable.
There is a vacancy in an inner
shell.

 The vacancy is filled by an

electron moving to the inner
shell from an outer one. As it
does so it emits a photon. De-
De-excitation excitation
Gases at low pressure emit light
when they are made to conduct  Energy of photon is equal to
electricity. Neon emits red light.
energy lost by electron.
Gas filled tube used to measure  When electron moves from
excitation energies also emits light energy level E1 to lower
as absorbed energy cannot be held energy level E2 energy of
for long. photon
hf = E1 - E2
  Electron in atom can move
from lower energy level to
a higher one by absorbing
a photon.

 The photon energy has to

Excitation using be exactly equal to the
Photons difference between energy
levels for this to occur.

 If the photon energy is

smaller or larger than the
difference it is not
absorbed.
  When the tube is on it emits
visible light
 Ionisation and excitation of
mercury atoms occurs
Fluorescence when they collide with each
other and electrons in the
tube.
Excitation and then de-excitation
 Mercury atoms emit uv
explains why some substances photons as well as visible
fluoresce or glow with visible light photons and photons of
when absorb UV. much less energy when de-
excite.
Fluorescent tube is glass tube with
fluorescent coating on the inside.  UV photons are absorbed
by atoms of fluorescent
Contains mercury vapour inside at
coating causing excitation.
low pressure.
 Coating atoms de-excite in
steps and emit visible
photons.
Question
A certain type of atom has excitation
energies of 1.8eV and 4.6eV
Sketch an energy level diagram for
the atom using these energies.
Calculate the possible photon
energies from the atom when it de-
excites from the 4.6eV level. Use a
downward arrow to indicate on your
diagram the energy change
responsible for each photon energy
Energy Levels and Spectra
Lesson Objectives

Define a line spectrum

Explain why atoms emit
characteristic line spectra
Calculate the wavelength of light for
a given electron transition
  White light can be split into a
continuous spectrum using a
prism.

 Wavelength of deep violet is

400nm to deep red at 650nm.

 A glowing gas as the light

Spectra source a spectrum of discrete
lines is seen.

 Line spectrum are

characteristic to the element.
The wavelengths on the
spectrum will identify the
element that produced the
light.
  Each element produces a
unique pattern based on the
energy levels in their atoms.

 Each line in a line spectrum is

due to light of a certain colour
and therefore a certain
wavelength.
Line Spectra  The photons that produce
each line all have the same
Electrons moving from energy which is different
energy level E1to lower from the energy of the
energy level E2. photons that produce any
other line.
hf = E1 - E2  Each photon is emitted when
an atom de-excites due to
one of its electrons moving to
an inner shell.
Question

• A mercury atom de-excites

from 5.7eV to 4.9eV for the
photon emitted, calculate
• a) its energy in J
• b) its wavelength
Wave Particle Duality
Learning Objectives

 Explain why photons are said to have a dual

nature
 Describe the evidence for the dual nature of
particles
 Discuss why we can change the wavelength of a
matter particle but not that of a photon
  Wave-like nature
Diffraction of light takes
place. When light passes
through a narrow slit the light
The Dual Nature of emerges from the slit and
spreads out.
Light
Maxwell gave a theory of
 Particle-like nature
electromagnetic waves and Newton
has laws of motion. People believed Observed in photoelectric
the photoelectric effect would be effect. Light is directed at a
metal surface and an electron
explained by Newton’s Laws.
is released after gaining the
Einstein was the one to come up energy hf of the incoming
with the theory of photons for photon.
Electromagnetic radiation.
 Extending the ideas of duality
from photons to matter
particles de Broglie put
forward the hypothesis

 Matter particles have a

dual wave-particle nature
Matter Waves
 The wave like behaviour of
If light has dual wave-particle nature
a matter particle is
then perhaps matter also has wave-
particle nature. Louis de Broglie first
characterised by a
considered the idea in matter. wavelength, its de Broglie
wavelength, which is
related to the momentum
of the particle.
 h
l=
p

p = momentum

 Momentum is defined as
mass x velocity so a
Matter Waves particle of mass m with
de Broglie wavelength of a particle velocity v has a de Broglie
can be altered by changing the wavelength given by
velocity of the particle
h
l=
mv
  Narrow beam of electrons is
directed at a thin metal foil.
Metal consists of positive ions
arranged in regular rows. Rows
of atoms cause diffraction just
as a beam of light does through
a slit.

Evidence for de  Electron beams pass through

the rows of atoms and
Broglie’s hypothesis diffracted in certain directions.
A pattern of concentric rings is
Three years after de Broglie’s seen on a fluorescent screen
hypothesis it was found that
electrons can be diffracted  Beam of electrons produced by
attracting electrons from a
heated filament to a positively
The faster the electrons the smaller charged metal plate with a hole
the rings. Faster electrons give a in the centre. The electrons
pass through the hole. Speed
smaller wavelength and thus less of electrons changed by
diffraction. changing potential difference
between plate and filament.