1.

Much of our knowledge of outer space is based on spectroscopic data.

Absorption spectra give information about the elements present in stars.
(i)

Describe the main features in the appearance of an atomic absorption spectrum.

.........................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
[3]

(ii)

How does an atomic emission spectrum differ in appearance from an

absorption spectrum?
.........................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
[2]
[Total 5 marks]

2.

Most of the chemical elements found on Earth were produced in stars.

Absorption and emission atomic spectra show the presence of elements in the stars.
The wavelengths involved are in the UV or visible portion of the electromagnetic
spectrum.
(i)

The labelled diagrams below represent part of an atomic absorption spectrum

and an atomic emission spectrum, drawn to the same scale.
A

f r e

e m

c y

a b s o r p t i o n

f r e

s p e c t r u m

c y

i s s i o n

s p e c t r u m

Using the letters (AJ), choose a line from the spectra which would
correspond to:
City and Islington college

1. the line of lowest frequency in the emission spectrum;

.....................................................................................................................................
2. the line representing the absorption of the largest amount of energy.
.....................................................................................................................................
[2]

(ii)

The emission and absorption spectra shown are for the same element. What
evidence is there from the two spectra that this is the case?
.....................................................................................................................................
[1]
[Total 3 marks]

3.

Analysis of pigments such as lemon yellow can be done by vaporising a tiny sample of
the pigment and analysing the emission spectrum produced.
A simplified section of the emission spectrum produced by strontium in the visible
region is shown below.

z
(i)

What is the quantity labelled as z on the above spectrum?

....................................................................................................................................
[1]

(ii)

Explain:

why excited atoms emit light

why the emission spectrum consists of discrete lines

why there are sets of lines.

You are advised to draft out your answer in rough first and then present your
explanation in a logical order. You may use diagrams in your answer.

explanation ..............................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
[5]

(iii)

Strontium also produces an absorption spectrum.

Describe two similarities and one difference between the appearance of the
emission and absorption spectra of strontium.
similarities ................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
difference .................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
[3]
[Total 9 marks]

4.

The presence of atoms or ions of individual elements in the gas surrounding stars is
shown by atomic emission spectroscopy.
Describe the appearance of an atomic emission spectrum.
..............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
[Total 3 marks]

City and Islington college

5.

The presence of different elements in the stars is inferred from absorption or emission
atomic spectra. The wavelengths involved are in the uv or visible portion of the
electromagnetic spectrum.
(i)

The labelled diagrams below represent part of an absorption spectrum and an

emission spectrum, drawn to the same scale.
A

f r e

a b

f r e

u
e m

c y

s o r p t i o n

D E

s p e c t r u m

I J

c y

i s s i o n

s p e c t r u m

Using the letters, choose a line from the spectra that corresponds to:
1.

the line of longest wavelength in the emission spectrum

............................................................
[1]

2.

the line corresponding to the absorption of the largest quantum of energy.

............................................................
[1]

(ii)

The emission and absorption spectra shown are for the same element.
What evidence is there from the two spectra that this is the case?
Explain your answer in terms of transitions between atomic energy levels. Use
the following diagram to illustrate your explanation.

l e c t r o n
e n e r g y

i c

e
e

n
n

e
e

r g
r g

y
y

l e
l e

v e
v e

l
l

5
4

r g

l e

v e

r g

l e

v e

r o

s t a

t e

r g

l e

v e

.....................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
[2]
[Total 4 marks]

6.

Chemical analysis has led to the discovery of contaminated goulash!

Unscrupulous manufacturers have been known to contaminate the goulash with a red
oxide of lead. This oxide looks like the spice paprika and improves the colour of the
food. However, this practice has resulted in several deaths since lead compounds are
poisonous.
A technique used to detect lead is atomic emission spectroscopy. One form of atomic
emission spectroscopy bombards a sample with a stream of ions to excite the atoms.
(a)

What is an ion?
.....................................................................................................................................
[1]

City and Islington college

(b)

The diagram below represents some of the different electronic energy levels in
an atom.
Draw an arrow on the diagram to represent an electron being excited. Label the
arrow A.

r g

l e

c t r o

ic

r g

l e

v e

l
[2]

(c)

The atomic emission spectrum of contaminated goulash shows lines that are not
present in the spectrum of normal goulash. These lines correspond to the
emission spectrum for lead. Part of the emission spectrum for lead is shown
below.

f r e

c y

Each line in the spectrum corresponds to an electron changing energy levels.

On the diagram in (b) above, draw an arrow to show one possible change in
energy levels that would give rise to a line in an emission spectrum. Label this
arrow B.
[1]

(d)

The full emission spectrum for lead shows more than one set of lines.
In each set, the lines get closer together at high frequencies. Use a diagram,
similar to that in (b), to explain
(i)

why there is more than one set of lines in the full emission spectrum
[2]

(ii)

why the lines in each set get closer together as the frequency increases.
[2]

diagram

(i)

...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................

(ii)

...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................
[Total 8 marks]

City and Islington college