Light and ElectronsOctober 27, 2014

Questions to consider:

How do the wave and particle natures of light compare?

How is a quantum of energy related to an energy change of matter?

How do continuous electromagnetic spectra and atomic emission spectra compare and contrast?

The Wave Nature of Light

Visible light is a type of electromagnetic radiation, a form of energy that exhibits wave-like behavior as it travels through space. All waves can be described by several characteristics. The wavelength (λ) is the shortest distance between equivalent

points on a continuous wave. The frequency (ν) is the number of waves that pass a given point

per second. The amplitude is the wave’s height from the origin to a crest.

The Wave Nature of Light

The speed of light (3.00 × 108 m/s) is the product of it’s wavelength and frequency c = λν.

The Wave Nature of Light

Sunlight contains a continuous range of wavelengths and frequencies. A prism separates sunlight into a continuous spectrum of colors. The electromagnetic spectrum includes all forms of electromagnetic radiation.

CALCULATING WAVELENGTH OF AN EM WAVE

Problem:Microwaves are used to cook food but can also be used to transmit information. What is the wavelength of a microwave that has a frequency of 3.44 × 109 Hz?

STEP 1: ANALYZE THE PROBLEM!You are given the frequency of a microwave. You also know that because microwaves are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, their speeds, frequencies, and wavelengths are related by the formula c = λν. The value of c is a known constant. First, solve the equation for wavelength, then substitute the known values and solve.

KNOWN UNKNOWN

ν = 3.44 × 109 Hz

λ = ? m

c = 3.00 × 108 m/sSTEP 2: SOLVE FOR THE

UNKNOWNSolve the equation relating the speed, frequency, and wavelength of an electromagnetic wave for wavelength (λ).

• State the electromagnetic wave relationship. Solve for λ.

c = λνλ = c/ν

• Substitute c = 3.00 × 108 m/s and ν = 3.44 × 109 Hz.

Note that hertz is equivalent to 1/s or s-1.

Hz 10 44.3m/s 10 3.00 λ 9

8

STEP 4: EVALUATE THE ANSWERThe answer is correctly expressed in a unit of wavelength (m). Both of the known values in the problem are expressed with three significant figures, so the answer should have three significant figures, which it does. The value for the wavelength is within the wavelength range for microwaves. (LOOK AT EM SPECTRUM CHART TO EVALUATE YOUR ANSWERS)

STEP 3: SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN

• Divide numbers and units.

λ = 8.72 × 10-2 m

1-

8

s 910 44.3

m/s 10 3.00 λ

CALCULATING WAVELENGTH OF AN EM WAVE

The Particle Nature of Light

The wave model of light cannot explain all of light’s characteristics. Some examples include:

Why heated objects emit only certain frequencies of light at a given temperature.

Why some metals emit electrons when light of a specific frequency shines on them.

The Photoelectric Effect

The photoelectric effect is when electrons are emitted from a metal’s surface when light of a certain frequency shines on it.

However, if the light shining on the metal is below a certain frequency, no electrons are emitted.

The Quantum Concept

In 1900, German physicist Max Planck began searching for an explanation of this phenomenon as he studied the light emitted by heated objects. Planck’s study led him to a startling conclusion: Matter can gain or lose energy only in small, specific amounts

called quanta. A quantum is the minimum amount of energy that can be gained

or lost by an atom.

Planck’s constant has a value of 6.626 × 10–34 J ● s.

Light’s Dual Nature

Albert Einstein proposed in 1905 that light has a dual nature. A beam of light has wave-like and particle-like properties. A photon is a particle of electromagnetic radiation with no mass

that carries a quantum of energy.

CALCULATE THE ENERGY OF A PHOTON

Problem Every object gets its color by reflecting a certain portion of incident light. The color is determined by the wavelength of the reflected photons, thus by their energy. What is the energy of a photon from the violet portion of the Sun’s light if it has a frequency of 7.230 × 1014 s-1?

Response:STEP 1: ANALYZE THE PROBLEM

KNOWN UNKNOWN

ν = 7.230 × 1014 s-1 Ephoton = ? J

h = 6.626 × 10-34 J•s

STEP 2: SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN

• State the equation for the energy of a photon. Ephoton = hν

• Substitute h = 6.626 × 10-34 J•s and ν = 7.230 × 1014 s-1.

Ephoton = (6.626 × 10-

34 J•s)(7.230 × 1014 s-1)• Multiply and divide numbers and units.

Ephoton = 4.791 × 10-19 J

Atomic Emission Spectra

Light in a neon sign is produced when electricity is passed through a tube filled with neon gas and excites the neon atoms. The excited atoms return to their stable state by emitting light to release energy.

Atomic Emission Spectra

The atomic emission spectrum of an element is the set of frequencies of the electromagnetic waves emitted by the atoms of the element. Just like no two people have the same fingerprints, each element’s atomic emission spectrum is unique.

Review

Essential Questions How do the wave and particle natures of light compare? How is a quantum of energy related to an energy change of

matter? How do continuous electromagnetic spectra and atomic

emission spectra compare and contrast?

Vocabulary• electromagnetic radiation

• wavelength• frequency• amplitude

• electromagnetic spectrum

• quantum• Planck’s constant

• photoelectric effect

• photon• atomic emission

spectrum