BACKGROUND / TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS Standards Connections For the 2010-2011 school year, Texas updated and modified its

Chemistry curriculum. New to the curriculum is the instruction of electromagnetic spectrum and calculation of wavelength, frequency, and energy. The following TEKS are addressed by this lesson: Chemistry 112.35: (6) Science concepts. The student knows and understands the historical development of atomic theory. The student is expected to: (A) understand the experimental design and conclusions used in the development of modern atomic theory, including Bohr's nuclear atom; (B) understand the electromagnetic spectrum and the mathematical relationships between energy, frequency, and wavelength of light; (C) calculate the wavelength, frequency, and energy of light using Planck's constant and the speed of light; Flame Test Set-Up Per group: Bunsen burner Splints or nichrome wire loops Tongs to use with splints A minimum of three of the following solutions: 0.5M potassium nitrate solution 0.5M calcium nitrate solution 0.5M lithium nitrate solution 0.5M sodium nitrate solution 0.5M strontium nitrate solution 0.5M barium nitrate solution 0.5M copper (II) nitrate solution Demonstrate the procedure for students. Set up the Bunsen burner and adjust the flame until 2 blue cones are visible. Soak a splint in each of the provided solutions. Use tongs to hold the splint in the flame. DO NOT ALLOW THE SPLINT TO BURN. (Or use the wire loops instead.) On the first test, observe the color of the flame. Record the color on the appropriate question. Repeat each test a second time, and observe the flame with a spectroscope.

By Lisa W. Zimmerman. Adapted from guided inquiry activities found in Chemistry: A Guided Inquiry by Richard S. Moog and John J. Farrell, and Active Chemistry by Arthur Eisenkraft, PhD.

Guided Inquiry: Emissions Spectra and the Bohr Model In this activity, you and your group are responsible for reading the information for each model, then answering the questions that follow. Work together, and keep in mind that the information you learn from one model will help you with later sections. All explanations should be provided in grammatically correct English sentences. Model 1 Electromagnetic spectrum You have already learned about Niels Bohr and his atomic model. While Bohr was working out his theory and model of the atom, Max Planck and other scientists were studying the electromagnetic spectrum. Portions of the spectrum may be seen (visible light), and others may be felt (infrared). Still other portions are outside the range of human senses and require sensitive equipment to measure. You will perform a series of flame tests for various elements set out for you by your teacher and observe the flame through a spectroscope as well as with your eyes directly. Complete the table below, coloring the spectra you observe using map pencils, crayons, or markers, in the third box. The first box is an example completed for you.

Energy Increases Substance Name Hydrogen Flame Color Pink Drawn Emissions Spectra
(from spectroscope)

By Lisa W. Zimmerman. Adapted from guided inquiry activities found in Chemistry: A Guided Inquiry by Richard S. Moog and John J. Farrell, and Active Chemistry by Arthur Eisenkraft, PhD.

Critical Thinking Questions 1. Using the electromagnetic spectrum chart on Model 1 and your drawings of the spectra, explain which color you observed when looking directly at the flame has the lowest energy and which has the highest energy.

2. How are radio waves, microwaves, gamma rays, x-rays, and visible light related? What is different about visible light?

3. When Bohr observed the spectra for hydrogen, he realized there were other energy changes occurring for which he could not see colors of light. Refer back to the electromagnetic spectrum chart, and suggest a reason for this.

Model 2 : Energy Levels Bohrs theory included an explanation of how hydrogen is able to produce its line spectrum, which is similar to the ones you observed in Model 1. He proposed that the electron is able to move from one orbital, or energy level, to another as it is excited by a photon of energy. The diagram below reflects the energy levels available for hydrogens electron.

E1 E2 E3 E4 E5 E6 E7

= -13.6 eV = -3.40 eV = -1.51 eV = -0.85 eV = -0.54 eV = -0.38 eV = -0.28 eV

eV = electron Volt; a unit for measuring energy in small increments.

Bohr theorized that when an electron was excited by energy and moved to a higher level, it would then release that energy by falling to a lower level. The amount of energy given off is the difference between the higher level and the lower level, and is the cause of the line spectra he observed.

By Lisa W. Zimmerman. Adapted from guided inquiry activities found in Chemistry: A Guided Inquiry by Richard S. Moog and John J. Farrell, and Active Chemistry by Arthur Eisenkraft, PhD.

Critical Thinking Questions 4. Looking at the diagram in Model 2, arrive at consensus with your group on explanations for each of the following questions: a. Which orbital will have the highest energy? b. Which orbital will have the lowest energy? 5. Calculate the amount of energy given off for each of the following changes: a. E5 to E2 b. E3 to E1 c. E6 to E3 6. How many different energies of light can hydrogen produce when the electron falls from E6, E5, E4, E3, and E2 down to E1?

7. How many different energies of light can hydrogen produce when the electron falls from E6, E5, E4, and E3 down to E2?

By Lisa W. Zimmerman. Adapted from guided inquiry activities found in Chemistry: A Guided Inquiry by Richard S. Moog and John J. Farrell, and Active Chemistry by Arthur Eisenkraft, PhD.

Model 3: Energy in waves The symbol for wavelength is , or lambda. The frequency of a wave is the number of wave cycles produced per second, and is represented by f. The standard unit for frequency is called the Hertz (Hz). The speed of light (c) relates these variables in the formula: c = f The value of the speed of light is constant, at 2.998 x 108 m/s. You can use this information to calculate the frequency of any given wavelength. This is an inverse relationship.

f=c/

In the case of a wavelength of 450nm, the frequency is: f = 2.998 x 108 m/s = 6.662 x 1014 cycles/s = 6.662 x 1014 Hz 450 x 10-9 m

Critical Thinking Questions 8. Refer back to the spectrum in Model 1 and label the chart to show that frequency increases as wavelength decreases. 9. For a wavelength of light at 389.0 nm, calculate the frequency.

10. Show that this wavelength of light has 5.11 x 10-19 J of energy.

Max Planck explained the relationship between units of light and the frequency at which they travel: E = hf, and calculated a constant now known as Plancks constant (h): 6.63 x 10-34 J s Continuing with the calculation above, the energy associated with the calculated frequency of light would be: E = (6.63 x 10-34 J s) (6.662 x 1014 Hz) = 4.417 x 10-19 J
. .

By Lisa W. Zimmerman. Adapted from guided inquiry activities found in Chemistry: A Guided Inquiry by Richard S. Moog and John J. Farrell, and Active Chemistry by Arthur Eisenkraft, PhD.

Critical Thinking Question 11. In hydrogen, an electron jumping from E3 to E2 has 3.03 x 10-19 J of energy. According to the Law of Conservation of Energy, this is the amount of energy in the light released when the electron falls back to E3. a. Use this information to calculate the frequency of light.

b. Take the calculated frequency of light and find the wavelength.

c. Refer back to the spectrum and identify the color of light you should observe. Summary and Extension 12. Explain the meaning of wavelength.

13. Why do elements produce characteristic colors of light when heated?

14. Microwaves are absorbed by water in foods. As the water absorbs the energy of the microwaves, it heats up the food. If the length of a microwave is 10 cm, calculate the frequency of the microwave, and the amount of energy when one photon of energy is released.

15. Red light at a frequency of 656.5 nm. The energy of this wavelength of light is 3.03 x 10-19 J. Compare this value to the amount of energy in a microwave photon from #14. How many times greater is the energy of the red light?

By Lisa W. Zimmerman. Adapted from guided inquiry activities found in Chemistry: A Guided Inquiry by Richard S. Moog and John J. Farrell, and Active Chemistry by Arthur Eisenkraft, PhD.