[KEY POINTS -6]PHYSICS EDUTEL ACADEMY 2014-2015

ATOMIC PHYSICS
3MARKS
1. What are cathode rays?

 Cathode rays are negatively charged particles called electron.

 Electron ejected from the cathode in a discharge tube is called cathode
rays.

2. Explain the results of Rutherford 𝜶 particles scattering experiment?

 Since atom has a lot of empty space, most of 𝜶 particle were scattered in
small angles and passed straight.
 The whole of positive charge was concentrated in a tiny space of about10-14
metre called nucleus.
 A few of the𝜶-particles were scattered in the back ward direction.

3. Define Excitation potential energy and ionisation potential Energy?

Excitation potential Energy

 The energy required to raise the atom from its normal state to an excited
state is called excitation potential energy.

Ionisation potential Energy.

 The energy sufficient to knock out an electron from an orbit to outside the
atom is called ionization potential energy.

4. What are X-rays?

 X-rays are electromagnetic waves.

 Its wavelength is 0.5A° 𝑡𝑜 10A°
 They are produces when fast moving electrons strike the metal target.

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5. Why ordinary plane transmission gratings cannot be used to produce

diffraction effects in X-rays.

 For diffraction of X-rays, the grating element has to be comparable to the

wavelength of X-rays.
 To obtain diffraction effects with X-rays the rulings in a grating must be
spaced only a few nanometers apart.
 This spacing is not found in plane diffraction grating.

6.State Moseley’s law.

 The frequency of the spectral line in the characteristic X-ray spectrum is

directly proportional to the square of the atomic number of the element
 V ∝ z2 or 𝒗 =a(z-b)
 Where a,b are constants depending upon the particular spectral line.

7. What is meant by normal population?

 In a system of thermal equilibrium the number of atoms in the ground state

is greater than the number of atoms in the excited state.This is called
normal population.

8. What are the important characteristics of laser?

The laser beam is

 Coherent
 Monochromatic
 Does not diverge
 Extremely intense.

9. How are gases made to conduct electricity?

 Gases can be made to conduct electricity by Applying a large potential

difference across a gas column at very low pressure.
 Allowing X-rays to pass through the gases.

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10. What is a discharge tube?

 It is an arrangement to study the conduction of electricity through gases.

11. What does the study of electric discharge through gases? Give.

 The discharge of electricity through gases led to the discovery of

 Electrons by J.J.Thomson.
 X-rays by Roentgen.

12. What is meant by positive column?

 In a discharge tube when a pressure is about 10mm of Mercury, an

irregular streak of a luminous column extending from the anode to cathode
appears. This column is called positive column.

13. What is known as cathode glow?

 Pressure: About 5m of mercury.

 The length of the positive column decrease
 A bluish glow appears at the cathode called cathode glow.

14. What is black discharge?

 Pressure: About 0.01mm of Mercury.

 The Crooke’s dark space widens and fills the entire tube called dark
discharge.

15 What is meant by Faraday’s dark space?

Pressure: About 5mm of mercury.

A dark region column called Faraday’s dark space.

16. What is meant by Crooke’s dark space?

 In a discharge tube, when the pressure is about 0.1mm of Mercury.

 The cathode glow detached from the cathode.

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 The dark space appears between the cathode and cathode glow called
Crooke’s dark space.

17. What are called striations?

 In a discharge tube, when the pressure is about 0.1mm of Hg.

 The positive column is split into alternate dark and bright bands called
striations.

18. What are canal rays?

 In a discharge tube, at a pressure of about 1mm of mercury.

 Aluminium stream of particles, emerging from the holes of cathode.
 Proceeding in a direction opposite to the direction of the cathode rays is
called canal
 These rays were found to be positively charged particles.

19. State the principle of Thomson’s method?

 The cathode rays (electrons) are deflected by electric and a magnetic field
is made use of in this method.
 By subjecting a fine beam of cathode rays to the combined action of
crossed electric and magnetic fields e/m can be calculated.

20. What is the principle of Millikan’s experiment?

 This method is based an

 The study of motion of uncharged oil drop under tree fall due to gravity.
 And charged oil drop in a uniform electric field

21. How is the mass of an electron calculated?

 Mass of the electron

𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒆(𝒆)
M= 𝒆
𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒆( )
𝒎

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𝟏.𝟔𝟎𝟐 𝑿 𝟏𝟎−𝟏𝟗 𝑪
 M= = 𝟗. 𝟏𝟏 𝑿 𝟏𝟎−𝟑𝟏 𝒌𝒈
𝟏.𝟕𝟓𝟗 𝑿 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟏 𝑪𝒌𝒈−𝟏

22. State Dalton’s Postulate regarding atom?

According to Dalton, matter is made up of extremely small particles called atoms.

23. State Prout’s Postulates. Why it is not accepted?

 According to Prout, all elements are made up of atoms of hydrogen.

 Many of the elements were found to have atomic weight that were not
exact multiples of hydrogen, so
 That suggestion was not accepted.

24. Discuss Thomson’s atom model.

 According to Thomson, an atom is a sphere of positive charge having a

radius of the order of 10-10m

 The electron are embedded in the sphere of positive charge is shown in the
figure
 In general, the electrons of an atom are located in a symmetrical pattern
with respect to the centre of the sphere.
 Spectral radiations are due to simple Harmonic motion of these electrons
on both sides of their mean position.
 The stability of the atom was very well explained on the basis of this model.

25. What are the drawbacks of Thomson’s atom model?

 It could not account for the scattering of 𝜶-particles through large angles.

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 The vibrating electron should radiate energy and the frequency of the
emitted spectral line should be the same as the electron.
 Thomson’s model gives only one spectral line of about 1300A°for H2 atom
 But H2 spectrum consists of five different series with several lines in each
series.

26. What in meant by the distance of closest approach?

 An 𝜶particle directed towards the centre of nucleus will move close upto a
distance v0 where its kinetic energy will appear as electrostatic Potential
energy.
 After this the𝜶particle begins to retrace its path.
 This distance V0is known as the distance of the closest approach.
𝟏 𝟒𝒁𝒆𝟐
 r0=𝟒𝝅𝜺 𝟐
𝟎 𝒎𝒗

27. What are the characteristics of the anode to be used in a modern Coolidge
tube?

The following are the characteristics of anode.

 High atomic weight- to produce hard x-rays

 High melting point-to avoid melting of the target
 High thermal conductivity-to carry away the heat generated.

28. How are X-rays detected?

 The basic properties used for the detection of X-rays are

 Blackening of a photographic plate.
 The ionization produced by x-rays in a gas or vapour.

29. Define absorption coefficient of X-rays?

 For any given material, the amount of absorbed intensity is 𝝁𝑰𝒅𝒙

 𝝁 is called the absorption coefficient.
 Ie, dI=- 𝝁𝑰𝒅𝒙

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30. What is meant by lattice plane or cleavage plane?

 Any plane containing an arrangement of atoms in a three dimensional

space is called cleavage plane.

31. State Bragg’s law?

 2d sin𝜽=n𝝀 here n=1,2,3…etc.This known as Bragg’s law.

 Where‘d’ is the spacing between lattice planes,𝜽is the glancing angle.
 ‘n’ is the order of the spectrum.
 λ is the wavelength of X-rays.

32 What are continuous X-ray spectra?

 Continuous X-rays are X-rays which contain all wavelength varying between
min and higher values continuously(infinity)

33. What are characteristic x-ray spectra?

 X-rays which have sharply defined wavelength are called characteristic x-

ray spectrum.
 These spectral lines are characteristic of the material of the target.

34. What is meant by Pumping?

 Pumping: The process by which atoms in the ground state is taken to the
excited state is called pumping.

35. What is meant by optical pumping?

Optical pumping:

 The process by which the atom in the ground state is taken to the excited
state with the help of light is called optical pumping.

36. Mention the conditions to achieve laser action.

 There must be an inverted population.

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 The excited state must be a meta stable state.

 The emitted photons must stimulate further emission.

37. What is laser action?

 A photon produced by stimulated emission is called secondary photon (or)

stimulated photon.
 The secondary photon is always in phase with the stimulating photon.
 These photon in turn stimulate the emission further and the process
continues to give a chain reaction called laser action.

38. What is a hologram?

 In holography, both the phase and amplitude of the light waves are
recorded on the film.
 The resulting photograph is called hologram.

39. What is Maser? Write its principal?

 Maser stands for microwave Amplification by stimulated emission of

Radiation.
 Its principle is population inversion followed by stimulated emission.

40. What are materials used as maser materials?

 The Paramagnetic ions are used as maser materials.

 Ammonia gas is also maser material.
 Practical maser materials are often chromium or gadolinium ions doped as
impurities in ionic crystals.