ATOMIC SPECTRA

Objectives
1. Determine the emission spectrum of Hydrogen and other elements.
2. Calculate the expected wavelengths of H using the Rydberg equation.
3. Determine the composition of unknown solutions using flame tests.

Animation of the
dispersion of white
light as it travels
through a triangular
prism.
 History of Optics & Light Studies
Ibn Alhazen is considered the
“Father of Optics” He wrote the
“Book of Optics”, which correctly
explained and proved the modern
theory of vision. His experiments
on optics greatly influenced later
scientists.
His experiments included ones
on lenses, mirrors, refraction,
reflection, and the dispersion of
light into its constituent colors. He
studied the electromagnetic aspects
of light, and argued that rays of Ibn Alhazen
(965 – 1039)
light are streams of energy particles Arab Muslim Scientist
traveling in straight lines. “Father of Optics”
http://www.hulu.com/watch/135530/milestones-in-science-and-engineering-joseph-fraunhofer-and-the-spectral-lines
 Atomic Spectra Experiment
PART A: Hydrogen emission spectrum.

PART B: Emission spectrum of other elements.

PART C: Flame Tests (organic & inorganic).

PART A: Calculate the wavelengths for Hydrogen and
compare them to the Hydrogen line spectrum from a Scanning
Spectrophotometer.

The hydrogen line spectrum contains only a few discrete wavelengths.

In the visible region, there are only four wavelengths.
Hydrogen Spectrum – The Balmer Series
In 1885, Johann Jakob Balmer
analyzed the hydrogen spectrum and
found that hydrogen emitted four
bands of light within the visible
spectrum. His empirical formula for
the visible spectral lines of the
hydrogen atom was later found to be a
special case of the Rydberg formula,
devised by Johannes Rydberg.
Wavelength (nm) Color
656.2 red
Johann Jakob Balmer
(May 1, 1825 – March 12, 1898) 486.1 blue
Swiss Mathematician &
Honorary Physicist
434.0 blue-violet
410.1 violet
 Quantum Properties of Light
E = nh
E – the change
in Energy
n= 1, 2, 3, …
h – (Planck’s
constant)
h = 6.62610-34 Js
Max Karl Ernst Ludwig Planck  = frequency
(April 23, 1858 – October 4, 1947)
German Physicist

The Nobel Prize in Physics 1918 for The profile of radiation

The discovery of energy quanta.
emitted from a black body

In 1900, Planck hypothesized that energy was quantized (i.e. energy can be
gained or lost only in whole-number multiples of the quantity h.) This hypothesis
was later extended by Albert Einstein to include light. Einstein envisioned light
as small discrete particles of energy which he called photons.
To calculate the wavelengths (p 65) –
Recall that Frequency and Wavelength are related where
frequency times wavelength equals the speed of light.
Wavelength (): Distance between
two consecutive peaks [unit: nm]
Frequency (): Number of waves
per second that pass a given point in
space [unit: s-1 (Hertz)]

=c
Where C is the speed of light
&
C = 2.9979108 m/s

=c/
Since the speed of light is a constant, as wavelength decreases,
then frequency must increase.
 Calculating the Balmer & Lyman Series
As noted earlier, the four
bands of light calculated
by Balmer could be simply
calculated using the
Rydberg equation:
1 1 *
  R( 2  2 )
n1 n2
Where v = frequency
n = the quantum number
R = (Rydberg constant)
R = 3.29 1015 Hz
1 Hz = 1 s-1

The permitted energy levels of a hydrogen atom. *This equation will be used on page 65.
  In 1913, Bohr developed a quantum model
for the hydrogen atom.
 Proposed the Solar System model of the atom
where the electron in a hydrogen atom
moves around the nucleus only in certain
allowed circular orbits.

Niels Henrik David Bohr

Oct. 7, 1885 – Nov. 18, 1962
Danish Physicist

The Nobel Prize in Physics 1922

for the investigation of the structure
of atoms and of the radiation These orbits then correspond to the energy
emanating from them.
levels seen in the Balmer series. (p 71)
 Scanning Spectrophotometer (top view)

A hydrogen light source will be viewed using a scanning spectrophotometer.

The wavelengths will be calculated for the Balmer and Lyman series and then
compared to those generated by the computer attached to the scanning
spectrophotometer.
Computer Output from a Scanning Spectrophotometer

The peaks on the spectrograph correspond to the energy changes

of the electrons for the Hydrogen atom.
 PART B: Emission spectrum of other compounds using
The STAR Spectrophotometer.
1. View the line spectrum through the STAR Spectrophotometer
- point arrow towards the light and view to the left.
2. Verify that the scale is lined-up accurately by looking at the
fluorescent light. In addition to other lines, you should see a
green doublet for mercury at ~570 nm (the scale on the bottom).

3. Measure the line spectrum of the gas tubes set up in Room 201.
4. Compare your results with literature values.
http://physics.nist.gov/PhysRefData/ASD/lines_form.html
 Emission Spectra Complement Absorption Spectra

The emission spectrum we see is the complement to the mysterious dark

lines (Fraunhofer lines) in the sun's spectrum. It is now possible to identify
the chemical composition of elements and distant objects like the sun and
other stars. This is because the Fraunhofer lines in the solar spectrum were
due to the absorption of light by the atoms of various elements in the sun's
atmosphere.
 Atomic Spectra of Noble Gases

Helium

Neon

Argon

Krypton The Atomic Spectra will be determined for the Noble Gases
by looking at the gas discharge tubes.
 PART C: Flame Test (Organic Compounds)

Beilstein test
If a clean copper wire is coated with a halogen-containing
compound and placed in a flame, the presence of the halogen
is revealed by a green to blue color.

It is often possible to distinguish between chlorine, bromine

and iodine based on the color of the flame.
 Flame Tests
 Flame Test: A test used in the identification of certain elements.
 It is based on the observation that light emitted by any element
gives a unique spectrum when passed through a spectroscope.

Flame spectrum for lithium

 Flame tests and identification of unknown metal solutions.

Observe and record the color of the flame for each known sample.
Then determine the unknown compound based on the comparison
between its flame color and those of the known samples.
Checkout – (All items checked out should be returned)
1-STAR Spectroscope
1-nichrome flame test loop
1-copper Beilstein test loop
5 test tubes with unknowns for Flame Test
& 1 with 6M HCl for cleaning loops
In Lab
Flame test knowns – in hoods (look for signs)
Beilstein test for Part C (page 69) – in hoods
6M HCl for cleaning Beilstein loops – in hoods
Gas discharge tubes (for viewing by STAR spectroscope) – in 201
Computerized spectrophotometer – 1 setup in 201

All students
View Scanning Spectrophotometer for Part A (page 65) in Room 201.
You will need to get page 65 signed by presenter.
View Gas Discharge tubes for Part B (page 67) in Room 201.
You may do flame tests on unknowns using your own
Bunsen burner at your desk.
Hazards
6M HCl – strong acid, corrosive
(use solid NaHCO3 on spills)
CH2Cl2 - halogenated volatile organic solvent
Bunsen Burner – open flames
Waste
Liquid waste-all waste, heavy metals, acid, rinses
This Week:
Turn In Atomic Spectra Handout (pp 65-67).

Review Session – Wednesday, Apr. 18, 6-8 pm in G3.

Evaluation Forms:
To evaluate Chem 2, you should be receiving an email
from the CET committee with the following link:
https://itweb.mst.edu/auth-cgi-bin/cgiwrap/distanceed/evals/survey.pl
Next Week (April 26-29)
*Final Exam – 1 Hour Exam during regularly
scheduled class time*.
You will need a calculator.
**Checkout after exam. $35 fine for not checking out.
(This means NO Chem 2 Final during Finals Week.)
*If you need to take the test on a different day, email Dr. Bolon.
*************************************************

Don’t be a
Dumb Bunny!
- Study!
*

*It’s a biology joke! 