Name:______________________ Chem 202

Section:____________
Quiz 2
9/12/2008
1) The retina of a human eye can detect light when radiant energy incident on it is at
least 4.0 x 10-17 J. For light of 600-nm wavelength, how many photons does this
correspond to?

Answer: The energy of a single 600 nm photon is:

E = hc/! = ((6.626 x 10-34 J s)*(3.00 x 108 m/s))/(600 x 10-9 m) = 3.313 x 10-19 J

The number of these photons required to provide 4.0 x 10-17 J so that the light can be
detected by human eyes is (4.0 x 10-17 J)/( 3.313 x 10-19 J) = 1.2 x 102 photons

2) The light emitted from an excited hydrogen atom is shown below as a series of
lines. The wavelength of light is emitted when the electron relaxes from excited
levels down to various lower levels. The most distinct line in the series is the red
Balmer line at appears at approximately 656.7nm. This line appears when the
electron relaxes from some excited state n to the n=2 level. Calculated that
excited energy level n.
3) Six electrons are placed in a 1-dimensional box with infinite potential and
infinite length. Correctly show where each electron will fill in the box in a
diagram and what are the quantum numbers associated with each electron?
Name:______________________ Chem 202
Section:____________
Quiz 2
9/12/2008
1) An electron is in its ground state in a 1-D box of length 1.65 nm. In what energy level
does this electron reside after it absorbs a photon of orange light (! = 595 nm)?(4)

h2
(n22 " n12 )
hc
=E=
! 8mL2
3 #10 8 6.62 #10"34
595 #10 "9
= "31 "9 2
8 # 9.1#10 # (1.65 #10 )
(
n 2 "1
2
)
n 2 "1 = 15.1
2

n 2 = 15.1+ 1
Answer: n=4
Suggestion: 4pts:
1pt for setting up equality, 1 pt for identifying the unknown variable, 1 pt for plugging in
numbers correctly, 1 pt for answer

2) The following molecule is (1E,3E)-hexa-1,3,5-trienylbenzene, an organic molecule.

While we won’t get to much into what the it means for a bond to be conjugated(you’ll be
sparred that until organic chemistry) this serves as a good model for what electrons in a
box are. Label on the picture what the length(L) of the box is for the molecule and fill the
box with the appropriate electrons for 6 electrons. (hint double bonds are the mobile
electrons for our box) (3)
L

n=3
n=2

n=1
3) While in physics lab you are able to measure the wavelength of light being emitted to
be 475 nm. This is being emitted from a blue LED or Light Emitting Diode. You then
measure the wavelength of a red LED to be 600 nm.
a)Which emits more energy red light or blue light(circle one)?(1) Blue Red
b) What are the ratios of the energy of blue to red light?(2)

E=hf=hc/!
E475nm=(6.62e-34 x 3e8) /(475e-9)
E640nm=(6.62e-34 x 3e8) /(600e-9)

b)1.263:1
Name:______________________ Chem 202
Section:____________
Quiz 2
9/12/2008
1) We can apply quantum mechanics to estimate the length of simple conjugated
molecules in a model called the free-electron model. The length of hexatriene
(containing 6 pi electrons) can be estimated to be 867pm. The first electronic
excited can be predicted to occur at what frequency (in Hz)?

h2
!E = (n 2 f " n 2 i )
8me L2
(6.626 # 10 "34 J $ s)2
!E = (4 2 " 32 ) = 5.61 # 10 "19 J
8(9.109 # 10 "31 kg)(867 # 10 "12 m)2
!E 5.61 # 10 "19 J
v= = = 2.8 # 10 6 s "1 = 2.8 # 10 6 Hz
hc (6.626 # 10 "34 J $ s)(3 # 10 8 m )
s

2) Draw !(x) and P(x) distributions for the n=3 energy level. Indicate sign conventions
on !(x) and label and nodes on P(x).

2) !(x) graph should be a sine wave centered about x=0 (either positive or
negative at x=0 is okay) with 1" cycles. The half-cycles themselves should be labeled
(+) or (-), depending on their value. P(x) graph should be a sine-squared wave with 3
humps of equal size, once again centered around x=0. The two nodes should be labeled as
such.

3) You are walking on the streets one night with nothing better to do but chemistry and
notice the neon lights. You decide that you want to find out what the change in energy is
larger from two different neon lights, one that is green and one that is violet. You use
some physics to find out that the wavelength corresponding to each color is 510 nm for
green and 400 nm for violet. (3)
a) Which wavelength of light has more energy? (circle one) Green Violet
b) Determine the ratios of the energies of green to violet
E=hv
E510nm=(6.62e-34)(3e8)/(510e-9)=3.89e-19 J
E400=(6.62e-34)(3e8)/(400e-9)=4.97e-19 J
E510:E400nm=0.783