Modern Atomic Theory Lecture Notes

Classical View of the Universe

Since the time of the ancient Greeks, the stuff of the physical universe has been classified as either matter or
energy. We define matter as the stuff that has mass and volume . Therefore energy is the stuff of the universe that
doesn’t have mass and volume. we know from our examination of matter that it is ultimately composed of
particles, and its the properties of those particles that determine the properties we observe. Energy therefore
should not be composed of particles, in fact the thing that all energy has in common is that it travels in waves.

Properties of Waves
Wavelength  λ (lambda)
Frequency ν (nu)
Amplitude A
Speed (velocity) c
Period t

Wavelength λ
Distance between 2 consecutive peaks or troughs
Length of wave defines energy of radiation
Shorter wavelength – higher energy
Longer wavelength – lower energy
Wavelength corresponds to color in visible light
Generally measured in nanometers (nm) 1 nm = 10-9 m
could also be in Angstroms (Å) 1 Å = 10-10 m

Frequency ν
Number of waves that pass a point in space in one second
Generally measured in cycles per second or Hertz (Hz)
1 cycle = 1 Hz = 1 wave/sec = 1 sec-1
Frequency and wavelength inversely related
Longer wavelength  lower frequency
Shorter wavelength  higher frequency

Amplitude A
Maximum displacement from origin
Height from wave origin to top of the crest
Measure of the intensity (brightness) of wave

Speed c
All types of light energy travel at the same speed
Wavelength does not matter!
Speed of light in a vacuum
2.997925 x 108 m/s
2.997925 x 1010 cm/s
Review

Relationship between wave properties

Electromagnetic Radiation
 Emission and transmission of energy in form of electromagnetic (em) waves
o Every wave has four characteristics that determine its properties – wave speed, height (amplitude),
length, and the number of wave peaks that pass in a given time
 Radiant energy
o Visible & invisible (light)
o Light is one form of energy
o Travels in waves
o Given off by atoms when they have been excited by any form of energy
o Divided into classes according to wavelength

Electromagnetic Radiation
A traveling wave with perpendicular electric and magnetic fields

Electromagnetic Waves
Velocity = c = speed of light = 2.997925 x 108 m/s (m•sec-1) in vacuum (it’s constant!)
All types of light energy travel at the same speed

Amplitude = A = measure of the intensity of the wave, “brightness”

Height of the wave

Wavelength =λ = distance between crests

Generally measured in nanometers (1 nm = 10-9 m)
same distance for troughs or nodes

Frequency = ν = how many peaks pass a point in a second

Generally measured in Hertz (Hz),
1 Hz = 1 wave/sec = 1 sec-1
Types of Electromagnetic Radiation Classified by the Wavelength
Radiowaves λ > 0.01 m low frequency and energy
Microwaves 10 m < λ < 10 m
-4 -2

Infrared (IR) 8 x 10-7 < λ < 10-5m

Visible 4 x 10-7 < λ < 8 x 10-7m ROYGBIV
Ultraviolet (UV) 10 < λ < 4 x 10 m
-8 -7

X-rays 10-10 < λ < 10-8m

Gamma rays λ < 10-10 high frequency and energy

Electromagnetic Spectrum
 Wavelengths shorter than visible are: UV, X-ray, and gamma rays
 Wavelengths longer than visible are: infrared (IR) and electronic (radar, TV/FM, AM radio)
 Warm-blooded animals emit radiation in the IR (heat)
 White light is made up of all colors of light
o Can separate white light into different colors
o Can combine different colors of light to get white light
 What is sensitivity of human eye?
o If you had a uniformly bright spectra, you would see yellow-green the best.
o Purple has to be almost 100 times more intense to look as bright as yellow-green.
o Yellow-green is also the intensity peak for the sun!
 Spectral composition of the Sun
o Before entering the earth’s atmosphere is 9%UV, 40% visible and 51% infrared

Example: Order the following types of Electromagnetic Radiation:

microwaves, gamma rays, green light, red light, ultraviolet light
(a) by wavelength (short to long)

_________________________________________________________________________

(b) by frequency (low to high)

________________________________________________________________________

(c ) by energy (least to most)

________________________________________________________________________

Example: Arrange the three types of electromagnetic radiation—visible light, X-rays, and microwaves—in
order of increasing:
(a) wavelength ________________________________________________________________

(b) frequency ________________________________________________________________

(c) energy ________________________________________________________________

Example: Which of the following types of light—infrared or ultraviolet—has the:

(a) longer wavelength ___________________________________________________________

(b) higher frequency ____________________________________________________________

(c) higher energy ___________________________________________________________