Question:

The energy levels of an hydrogen atom are shown below. The transition corresponding to emission of shortest wavelength is
energy level

Updated On: Mar 20, 2025
  • A
  • D
  • C
  • B
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The Correct Option is B

Approach Solution - 1

\(ΔE=\frac{hc}{λ} ⇒ λ\alpha \frac{1}{ΔE}\)
For shortest wavelength, energy gap should be maximum.
So, correct choice is transition from n = 3 to n = 1.
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Approach Solution -2

Photon Emission and Wavelength Problem 

Step 1: Energy and Wavelength Relationship

The energy of a photon emitted during a transition is related to its wavelength by:

\( E = \frac{hc}{\lambda} \)

where \( h \) is Planck's constant, \( c \) is the speed of light, and \( \lambda \) is the wavelength.

Step 2: Shortest Wavelength Condition

From the equation above, we can see that for the shortest wavelength (\( \lambda_{min} \)), the energy (\( E \)) must be maximum.

Step 3: Energy Difference and Transition

The energy of a photon emitted during a transition is equal to the difference in energy levels:

\( E = E_{initial} - E_{final} \)

The largest energy difference corresponds to the shortest wavelength. In the given diagram:

  • Transition A: \( n = 4 \) to \( n = 3 \)
  • Transition B: \( n = 4 \) to \( n = 2 \)
  • Transition C: \( n = 3 \) to \( n = 1 \)
  • Transition D: \( n = 3 \) to \( n = 1 \) (Likely an error in the original question)

The energy levels in a hydrogen atom are given by:

\( E_n = -\frac{13.6 \text{ eV}}{n^2} \)

We can see that transitions C and D are identical in the provided image and diagram, which is likely an error in the original question. Assuming D is meant to be the transition from \( n = 3 \) to \( n = 1 \), D represents the largest energy difference, followed by C (which is the same as D, again suggesting an error), then B, and finally A.

Conclusion:

The transition corresponding to the emission of the shortest wavelength is D (assuming it is intended to represent the transition from \( n = 3 \) to \( n = 1 \)) (Option 2).

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