Graph for Part II:

Graph of Scale Position vs Wavelength(nm)

700 600

500

Wavelength (nm)

400

y = 122.01x - 123.21 R = 0.9914

300

200

100

0 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7

Scale Position

Atomic Emission Spectra:

An Analysis of the Atomic Emission Spectra of Mercury & Hydrogen

By: Ali Husaini (100473642)

Prepared For: Dr. Ranganathan Santhanam (70071, W2)

February 24th 2012

Discussion & Analysis: 1) For each line in the hydrogen spectrum, n1, the lower state is always 2 (lowest possible stable state for hydrogen). To calculate n 2, rearrange the equation below and solve for n2. Note is retrieved from the Table in Part II: Hydrogen Spectrum. Sample Calculation for Blue:

Re-arranging and substituting for n2:

n2 = 4.9 n2 = 5 (n must be an integer) Table 1: n2 & n1 for Hydrogen Spectrum Color

Blue Red Green Violet

n1
2 2 2 2

n2
5 3 4 6

2) To calculate R constant in wavenumbers, let

Sample Calculation for Blue:

Rearranging and solving for R

To calculate in cm, 1 nm = 1 x 10-7 cm, therefore 438.04 x 10-9 m = 4.3804 x 10-5 cm Substituting and solving for R: R = 121,754 = 1.2 x 105 cm-1

Table 2: Rydberg Constant in Wave Number Color Blue Red Green Violet n1 2 2 2 2 n2 5 3 4 6 (nm) 438.04 633.25 486.84 413.63 R (cm-1) 1.2 x 105 8.4 x 104 1.1 x 105 1.3 x 105

3 i) Rearranging equation 2.6 in y = mx+ b form:

& since

is a constant equal to 0.04, then

where R = m, 0.25R = b, 1/ = y, 1/n22 = x.

Graph of (1/n22) vs (1 /wavelength (cm-1))

26000 24000

1 / wavelength (cm-1)

22000 20000 18000 16000 14000 12000 10000 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12

y = -100252x + 26882 R = 0.9996

1/n22

Table 3: Comparison of R Values, and Percentage Error Color Blue Red Green Violet n1 2 2 2 2 n2 5 3 4 6 (nm) 438.04 633.25 486.84 413.63 R (cm-1) 1.2 x 105 8.4 x 104 1.1 x 105 1.3 x 105 1.0 x 105 Percent Error (%) 9.4 23 0.20 18 8.9

R Constant from Graph

Sample Calculation for Percentage Error:

4) If the absorption spectra of hydrogen were recorded, it would illustrate a spectrum that is reciprocal to that of the emission spectrum. More specifically, there would be continuous bands of colors but with black discrete lines at the same points where the emission spectrum had emitted color. 5) In Part III, our Unknown Cation Sample (#2) was deduced as LiCl due to the confirmation of both the equivalent red flame color during the flame test, and also a scale position and wave length to that of LiCl. 6) The emission spectra comes from the metal cations and not the nonmetal anions is because first, metals always in a metal and non-metal reaction, loose electrons, whereas non-metals are the one to gain electrons. Therefore, when an electron of a metal cation loses its electrons so it can come to its neutralized stable state, i.e. say from n= 3 to n=2, it emits photons, or what we conceive as visible light.

With respect to non-metal anions, say chlorine, they would have to find extra energy to release the electrons they gained to return to its neutral stable state, which why it isnt possible for it to be the one emitting light when on the other hand the metal cation needs to lose its electrons to return to its stable, neutral state which is easily done when the electrons move down energy levels (e.g. n=4 to n=2). An experiment to substantiate this claim would be to simply go back and revisit the experiment, Part II, spectra of cations in a flame test. If the anions were the one that the ones emitting the spectra, then in the case of say KCl and LiCl, since the anion, Chlorine is identical, they should under this presumption produce the exact same line spectrum and also flame color in this case. Unfortunately that is clearly not the case. As KCl produced violet flame, whereas LiCl produced a red flame, therefore Cl cannot be one from which the emission comes from, because if it were, the flame colors wouldnt change. 7) Fluorescent light is filled with the inert gas argon and mercury vapour which tends to be under low pressure. To experimentally verify the existence of argon gas at least, the discrete line spectrum observed and recorded in Part IV: 1) Fluorescent Lamp, corresponded almost identically to that of Argon which was found online, therefore because

the line spectrum are almost identical, then one is able to experimentally validate that there is argon gas in the fluorescent light.