OP114_Introduction to Light
Tutorial 1 : Nature of Light
1. (i) State the differences between “classical science” and “modern science”.
(ii) According to Bohr’s theory, how is electron, energy and light are related.
Explain briefly.
Bohr's model of the atom proposes that electrons occupy specific
energy levels around the nucleus, not existing anywhere in between. Each
energy level is associated with a specific quantum state.
Energy and Light:
When an electron transitions from a higher energy level (n₁) to a lower
energy level (n₂), it emits a photon (light particle) with energy equal to the
difference between the two levels:
E(photon) = E(n₁) - E(n₂)
Conversely, when an electron absorbs a photon with sufficient energy, it
can be excited to a higher energy level.
Relationship Summary:
Electrons: Occupy specific energy levels around the nucleus.
Energy: Associated with each energy level of the electron.
Light: Emitted or absorbed by electrons during transitions between
energy levels.
Note: Bohr's model was a stepping stone towards understanding atomic
structure, and later theories like quantum mechanics provided a more nuanced
picture. However, it remains a valuable tool for visualizing electron energy levels
and their relationship with light.
2. Which are older, the atoms in the body of an elderly person or those in the body
of a baby? Explain your answer.
The atoms in the body of an elderly person and a baby are essentially the same
age. Here's the explanation:
Age of atoms: Most atoms in our bodies, like hydrogen, carbon, oxygen,
and nitrogen, were formed billions of years ago during stellar
nucleosynthesis - the process of creating elements in stars.
OP114_Introduction to Light
Cycling of atoms: These atoms have been recycled countless times
throughout the universe, forming and breaking apart stars and planets,
and becoming part of living organisms.
Body composition: Our bodies incorporate these pre-existing atoms
through food, water, and air.
Therefore, regardless of a person's age, the atoms within them are incredibly old,
originating from stellar events long before the existence of any individual
organism.
While the atoms themselves might be incredibly old, the specific arrangement
and organization of these atoms do differ between an elderly person and a baby
due to growth, development, and metabolic processes.
3. Fluorescent light has been the widely used light source in modern world.
(i) State the material that been used to generate light.
(ii) What is the source of electron excitation in fluorescent lamp.
(iii) Explain the process of light production.
4. A photon has a frequency of 6.0 x 1015 Hz.
(i) What is the frequency in s-1?
(ii) What is the wavelength of this photon ?
(iii) What is the energy of this photon in J and eV?
Fluorescent lamps use a combination of materials and processes to generate
light:
(i) Light-generating material:
The material responsible for generating visible light in a fluorescent lamp is a
phosphor coating applied to the inner surface of the glass tube. This phosphor
OP114_Introduction to Light
is typically composed of rare earth metals and other elements that emit visible
light when excited by ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
(ii) Source of electron excitation:
The source of electron excitation in a fluorescent lamp is low-pressure mercury
vapor present inside the tube. When an electric current passes through the
lamp, it interacts with the mercury vapor, causing some of the mercury atoms to
become excited and release ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
(iii) Process of light production:
1. Electric current: Applying an electric current to the lamp activates
electrodes at each end of the tube.
2. Mercury vapor excitation: The current energizes the mercury vapor,
causing some mercury atoms to reach an excited state.
3. UV radiation emission: As the excited mercury atoms return to their
ground state, they emit UV radiation.
4. Phosphor excitation: This UV radiation excites the phosphor
coating on the tube's inner surface.
5. Visible light emission: When the excited phosphor atoms return to
their ground state, they emit visible light with a specific color depending
on the phosphor composition.
Therefore, fluorescent lamps use mercury vapor as the source of electron
excitation, which ultimately leads to the emission of visible light through the
excitation of phosphor coatings.
5. A certain laser emits light with a wavelength of 3391 nm. What is the energy
difference, in eV, between the two energy levels involved in producing this light?
1. Convert wavelength to meters: We are given the wavelength (λ) in
nanometers (nm). We need to convert it to meters (m) for further
calculations.
λ = 3391 nm = 3391 x 10^-9 m
2. Use the relationship between energy and wavelength: The energy (E)
of a photon is related to its wavelength (λ) by the following equation:
E = hc/λ
where:
E is the energy of the photon in Joules (J)
OP114_Introduction to Light
h is Planck's constant (approximately 6.63 x 10^-34 J⋅s)
c is the speed of light (approximately 3 x 10^8 m/s)
3. Substitute and calculate: Plug the values of λ, h, and c into the equation
and solve for E:
E = (6.63 x 10^-34 J⋅s) x (3 x 10^8 m/s) / (3391 x 10^-9 m)
E ≈ 5.78 x 10^-19 J
4. Convert energy to electron volts (eV): The energy difference between
the two energy levels is often expressed in electron volts (eV). Convert the
energy from Joules (J) to eV using the conversion factor:
1 eV ≈ 1.602 x 10^-19 J
Therefore, the energy difference (ΔE) in eV is:
ΔE = (5.78 x 10^-19 J) / (1.602 x 10^-19 J/eV)
ΔE ≈ 3.61 eV
Therefore, the energy difference between the two energy levels involved in
producing the laser light is approximately 3.61 eV.
6. The standard 110V, 50Hz a.c. electric current from an outlet generates
electromagnetic waves radiation
with the same frequency of 50 Hz.
(i) Calculate the wavelength of that radiation?
(ii) What is the energy of one photon (in eV) with that wavelength?
(iii) Can such a photon excite/ionize a hydrogen atom? Explain your answer.
Given:
Frequency (f) = 50 Hz
Formula:
Wavelength (λ) = Speed of light (c) / Frequency (f)
Constants:
Speed of light (c) ≈ 3.0 x 10^8 meters per second (m/s)
Calculation:
OP114_Introduction to Light
λ = c / f λ = (3.0 x 10^8 m/s) / (50 Hz) λ ≈ 6.0 x 10^3 meters
Therefore, the wavelength of the radiation is approximately 6000 meters.
2. Calculating the Energy of One Photon (ii)
Formula:
Energy (E) of a photon = Planck's constant (h) * Frequency (f)
Constants:
Planck's constant (h) ≈ 6.63 x 10^-34 Joules seconds (J*s)
Calculation:
E = h * f E = (6.63 x 10^-34 J*s) * (50 Hz) E ≈ 3.32 x 10^-26 Joules
Conversion to electron volts (eV):
1 eV ≈ 1.602 x 10^-19 J
Energy (eV) = (Energy in J) / (Conversion factor) Energy (eV) ≈ (3.32 x 10^-26
J) / (1.602 x 10^-19 J/eV) Energy (eV) ≈ 2.07 x 10^-7 eV
Therefore, the energy of one photon is approximately 2.07 x 10^-7 eV.
3. Can the Photon Excite/Ionize a Hydrogen
Atom? (iii)
Ionization Energy of Hydrogen:
The minimum energy required to remove the electron from the ground state of a
hydrogen atom is approximately 13.6 eV.
Comparison:
The calculated energy of the photon (2.07 x 10^-7 eV) is significantly lower than
the ionization energy of hydrogen (13.6 eV).
Explanation:
Since the photon's energy is much lower than the ionization energy, it does not
have enough energy to completely remove the electron from the hydrogen atom
OP114_Introduction to Light
(ionization). Additionally, exciting an electron to a higher energy level also
requires a specific amount of energy. As the photon's energy is very small, it is
insufficient to excite the electron to any higher energy level in the hydrogen
atom.
Therefore, the 50 Hz radiation from the outlet cannot excite or ionize a
hydrogen atom.
The energy of the photons emitted from a standard outlet (50 Hz, 2.07 x 10^-7
eV) is miniscule compared to the energy required to either excite or ionize a
hydrogen atom (13.6 eV). As a result, this radiation cannot cause any change in
the energy state of the electron in a hydrogen atom.
Tutorial 2 : Atomic Spectral
1. Hydrogen atom only has one electron but its spectra has many lines. Explain
why this occurs?
OP114_Introduction to Light
0 eV
A
-1 eV
B D
-3 eV
C
Ground state -10 eV
2. Figure above shows the electron transition from various states for an atom.
(i) The total energy of each orbital appears to be negative. State what does
the negative sign implies?
(ii) Calculate the wavelength of the photon emitted in transition A, B, C and D
3. The discrete energy of an electron in the n-th orbit of hydrogen atom is given by
the expression :
En =
− m e4 1
( )
8 ε 20 h2 n2
where m = mass of electron (9.1 x 10-31 kg), ε0 = permittivity of a free space (8.85
x 10-12 C/Nm-2, h = Planck constant (6.63 x 10-34 Js, electron charge, e = 1.6 x 10-
19
C and n is principal number.
OP114_Introduction to Light
(i) By using values given above, calculate the total energy of an electron, E n
in first four orbits of an hydrogen atom.
(ii) Calculate the smallest and largest photon wavelength emitted in b (i).
4. Explain the spectral difference obtained between from the following:
(i) hot stove (ii) stars
Hot Stove:
Temperature: A typical hot stove burner operates around 600-1000°C.
Spectral emission: At these temperatures, most of the light emitted falls
in the infrared region of the spectrum, which is invisible to the human eye.
However, you can feel the heat from this infrared radiation as warmth.
Visible light: As the stove heats up further, the burner might start to
glow red due to the emission of some visible light at longer wavelengths
(red end of the spectrum). With even higher temperatures, it might
appear orange or even yellow as it emits light at progressively shorter
wavelengths.
Stars:
Temperature: Stars are significantly hotter than hot stoves, ranging from
a few thousand degrees Celsius for cooler stars to tens of thousands of
degrees Celsius for hotter stars.
Spectral emission: Due to their extreme temperatures, stars emit light
across a much wider range of the spectrum, including the visible region.
This allows us to see them with our naked eye or telescopes.
Visible light: Depending on the star's temperature, the peak of its
emission will fall at different points in the visible spectrum. Cooler stars will
appear reddish, while hotter stars will appear bluish white due to the
higher intensity of light emitted at shorter wavelengths.
Therefore, the key difference lies in the **peak of the spectral distribution:
Hot stove: Primarily emits in the infrared region, with some
visible red light at higher temperatures.
Stars: Emit across a wider range, including the visible spectrum, with
the peak depending on the star's temperature, ranging from red for cooler
stars to bluish white for hotter stars.
5. (i) Briefly explain the experimental set-up for obtaining the emission spectra
of a hydrogen atom.
OP114_Introduction to Light
(ii) By using the hydrogen energy diagram, explain briefly the formation of
Lyman, Balmer and Paschen series
Tutorial 3 : Waves
1. Describe the difference between
(i) Longitudinal and Transverse waves
(ii) Wave front and Wave surface
2. (a) Define wave.
(b) A wave is described by y = A sin ( kx + wt ) where k = 3.0 ms-1 and ω =
2.0 ms-1 and A = 0.40m. Determine
(i) wavelength (iii) period
(ii) maximum amplitude (iv) frequency
a) Define wave.
A wave is a disturbance that travels through space and time, transferring
energy from one point to another without transporting matter itself. It can occur in
various forms, such as:
OP114_Introduction to Light
Mechanical waves: Require a medium (like water, air, or a solid object) to
propagate. Examples include sound waves, water waves, and seismic
waves.
Electromagnetic waves: Do not require a medium and can travel through
a vacuum. Examples include light waves, radio waves, X-rays, and
gamma rays.
Waves are characterized by several properties, including:
Wavelength (λ): The horizontal distance between two consecutive crests
(peaks) or troughs (valleys) of the wave.
Amplitude (A): The maximum displacement of the wave from its
equilibrium position.
Frequency (f): The number of cycles (complete waves) that pass a point
in a given amount of time. It is measured in Hertz (Hz).
Period (T): The time it takes for one complete cycle of the wave to pass a
point. It is the reciprocal of frequency (T = 1/f) and is measured in seconds
(s).
(b) The wave is described by y = A sin ( kx + wt ) where k = 3.0 ms^-1 and ω
= 2.0 ms^-1 and A = 0.40m. Determine:
(i) Wavelength (λ):
We can use the wave number (k) to determine the wavelength (λ) using the
following formula:
λ = 2π / k
where:
λ is the wavelength
k is the wave number
Substituting the given value of k:
λ = 2π / (3.0 ms⁻¹)
λ ≈ 2.09 m
Therefore, the wavelength of the wave is approximately 2.09 meters.
(ii) Maximum amplitude (A):
The given information (A = 0.40 m) already specifies the maximum amplitude of
the wave, which is 0.40 meters.
OP114_Introduction to Light
(iii) Period (T):
We can use the angular frequency (ω) to determine the period (T) using the
following formula:
T = 2π / ω
where:
T is the period
ω is the angular frequency
Substituting the given value of ω:
T = 2π / (2.0 ms⁻¹)
T ≈ 3.14 s
Therefore, the period of the wave is approximately 3.14 seconds.
(iv) Frequency (f):
We can find the frequency (f) using the relationship between period (T) and
frequency:
f = 1 / T
Substituting the calculated value of T:
f = 1 / (3.14 s)
f ≈ 0.32 Hz
Therefore, the frequency of the wave is approximately 0.32 Hz.
3. (a) Sketch all the components in the electromagnetic spectrum.
OP114_Introduction to Light
(b) A radio station broadcast at 120MHz. What is the corresponding
wavelength in meter?
We are given the frequency (f) of the radio station broadcast as 120 MHz (120 x
10^6 Hz). We need to find the corresponding wavelength (λ) in meters.
We can use the relationship between frequency (f), wavelength (λ), and the
speed of light (c):
c = λ * f
where:
c = speed of light ≈ 3.00 x 10^8 meters per second (m/s)
Rearranging the equation to solve for λ:
λ = c / f
Substituting the given values:
λ = (3.00 x 10^8 m/s) / (120 x 10^6 Hz)
λ = 2.5 meters
Therefore, the wavelength of the radio station broadcast is approximately 2.5
meters.
OP114_Introduction to Light
4. The above figure represent an electromagnetic wave frozen in time.
(a) What is represented by y in the figure above ?
(b) If the wavelength of the wave in the above question is 3 x 10-5m,
state the region of the e.m. spectrum this wavelength placed.
a) Define wave.
A wave is a disturbance that travels through space and time, transferring
energy from one point to another without transporting matter itself. It can occur in
various forms, such as:
Mechanical waves: Require a medium (like water, air, or a solid object) to
propagate. Examples include sound waves, water waves, and seismic
waves.
Electromagnetic waves: Do not require a medium and can travel through
a vacuum. Examples include light waves, radio waves, X-rays, and
gamma rays.
Waves are characterized by several properties, including:
Wavelength (λ): The horizontal distance between two consecutive crests
(peaks) or troughs (valleys) of the wave.
Amplitude (A): The maximum displacement of the wave from its
equilibrium position.
Frequency (f): The number of cycles (complete waves) that pass a point
in a given amount of time. It is measured in Hertz (Hz).
Period (T): The time it takes for one complete cycle of the wave to pass a
point. It is the reciprocal of frequency (T = 1/f) and is measured in seconds
(s).
(b) The wave is described by y = A sin ( kx + wt ) where k = 3.0 ms^-1 and ω
= 2.0 ms^-1 and A = 0.40m. Determine:
OP114_Introduction to Light
(i) Wavelength (λ):
We can use the wave number (k) to determine the wavelength (λ) using the
following formula:
λ = 2π / k
where:
λ is the wavelength
k is the wave number
Substituting the given value of k:
λ = 2π / (3.0 ms⁻¹)
λ ≈ 2.09 m
Therefore, the wavelength of the wave is approximately 2.09 meters.
(ii) Maximum amplitude (A):
The given information (A = 0.40 m) already specifies the maximum amplitude of
the wave, which is 0.40 meters.
(iii) Period (T):
We can use the angular frequency (ω) to determine the period (T) using the
following formula:
T = 2π / ω
where:
T is the period
ω is the angular frequency
Substituting the given value of ω:
T = 2π / (2.0 ms⁻¹)
T ≈ 3.14 s
Therefore, the period of the wave is approximately 3.14 seconds.
(iv) Frequency (f):
We can find the frequency (f) using the relationship between period (T) and
frequency:
OP114_Introduction to Light
f = 1 / T
Substituting the calculated value of T:
f = 1 / (3.14 s)
f ≈ 0.32 Hz
Therefore, the frequency of the wave is approximately 0.32 Hz.
5. The equation of a sinusoidal wave traveling in a medium is given by
2 sin π ( 0.5x – 200t )
where x and y are in cm and t is in seconds. Find the
(i) Amplitude (ii) wavelength (iii) Frequency
(iv) period (v) velocity of propagation.