Work through the list without notes. If you cannot do a statement, follow its link, then come back. Guide = study guide; Practice = practice questions.
Understanding
- I can explain that the atom is a system of an electron and a nucleus, and that a change of state is a change in their interaction energy. (Guide: “The atom as a system”)
- I can explain why bound energy levels are negative and what the ground state, excited states and ionization mean. (Guide: “The atom as a system”; Practice Q4)
- I can state that a photon is absorbed or emitted only when its energy equals the gap between two states, and explain why this gives single wavelengths. (Guide: “Photons in, photons out”; Practice Q1)
- I can describe how emission and absorption spectra form, and why a cool gas shows fewer absorption lines than the hot gas emits. (Guide: Figure 2; Practice Q2, Q6c)
Calculation and skills
- I can read an energy level diagram and find the energy, wavelength and frequency of the photon for any transition. (Guide: Worked example 1; Practice Q3, Q5)
- I can count and list all the possible emission lines from a given level. (Practice Q5a)
- I can decide whether a photon of given energy is absorbed by an atom in a given state. (Guide: Worked example 2; Practice Q1, Q7d)
- I can find the binding energy from any level and the kinetic energy of an electron freed by a photon. (Guide: “Binding energy and ionization”; Practice Q4, Q7d)
- I can build an energy level diagram from measured line wavelengths. (Practice Q7)
Reasoning
- I can use emission or absorption lines, compared with reference spectra, to decide which elements are present, and say why one matching line is not enough. (Guide: “Line spectra and what they tell you”; Practice Q6)
- I can explain why absorption lines look dark even though the atoms re-emit. (Practice Q2, Q6d)
- I can justify which transition produced a line using energy conservation. (Practice Q7c)
All ticked? Move on to Topic 15.4, Blackbody Radiation, or return to the course roadmap.