Calculate the energy for the transition of an electron from the n = 5 level to the n = 6 level of a hydrogen atom. E = Joules Is this an Absorption (A) or an Emission (E) process ?

For an electron to move from a lower energy level to a higher energy , that electron needs to absorb energy sufficient enough to excite it to make the transition. Hence it is an absorption process. The required energy of transition  E = 2.665 x 10⁻²⁰J

Explanation:

Using the Rydberg's equation we can calculate the wavelength of the photon of energy transition as follows:

1/λ = R . (1/nf² - 1/ni²)

where

λ is the required wavelength of the photon needed to be absorbed to excite the electron to transit from level 5 to 6.  

(Note that for the electron to transit to from energy level 5 to 6, the photon would have to fall from level 6 to 5 in order to emit the required energy to excite the electron)

R is the Rydberg's constant 1.097 x 10⁷ m⁻¹

nf is the final level of the photon

ni is the initial level of the photon

1/λ = 1.097 x 10⁷ m⁻¹ (1/5² - 1/6²)

1/λ = 1.3407 x 10⁵ m⁻¹

λ = 7.458 x 10⁻⁶ m

This implies that that is the wavelength of the photon required to excite the electron to transit from energy level 5 to 6. Using the equation below, we can calculate the energy of transition as

E = h.c/λ

where

E is the required energy of transition

h is the Planck's constant (6.626 x 10⁻³⁴ Js)

c is the speed of light (3 x 10⁸ms⁻¹)

λ is the wavelength calculated above

E = 6.626 x 10⁻³⁴ Js  x  3 x 10⁸ms⁻¹/ 7.458 x 10⁻⁶ m

E = 2.665 x 10⁻²⁰J

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