Journal Entry:

 What type of light helps us to learn about atomic structure?

Learning Intentions

• You will understand why the classical shell model of an atom has been refined to the quantum mechanical model using data from line spectra, and ionization energy and photoelectron spectroscopy (PES).

• You will learn ways to excite electrons and what the energy emitted from excited electrons looks like. 

• You will learn how to to calculate energy, frequency and wavelength of an emitted light wave from an excited electron using E=hv and c=ʎv equations.    

• You will understand that the energy of a photon is related the the frequency of the electromagnetic wave through Plank's equation (E=hv).

• You will learn how to determine what element(s) are in an unknown sample using emission spectra. 

Closing Task:

You can match unknown emission spectra to known emission spectra to determine identity of unknown.

Content Standards being covered:

The currently accepted best model of the atom is based on the quantum mechanical model. (EK 1.C.2)

The interaction of electromagnetic waves or light with matter is a powerful means to probe the structure of atoms and molecules and to measure their concentration. (EK 1.D.3)

The electronic structure of the atom can be described using an electron configuration that reflects the concept of electrons in quantized energy levels or shells, the energetics of the electron in the atom can be understood by consideration of Coulomb's law (EK 1.B.2)