6. The table shows the first five energy levels for mercury. A mercury atom makes a transition that emits a photon with a frequency of 4.91 × 1014 Hz. What was the transition? Use GUESS Method!!
Energy levels of mercury:
n energy level eV
1 -10.38
2 -5.74
3 -5.52
4 -4.95
5 -3.71
Now, E= 2.03 eV Also, Ef – Ei = E2 – E5 = -5.74 eV – (–3.71 eV) = –2.03 eV. From the conservation of energy, we know that the atom lost energy when that atom emitted the photon. Thus, the transition was from E5 to E2.
