Ch.6 - Electronic Structure of Atoms

Brown - Chemistry: The Central Science 15th Edition

Brown15th EditionChemistry: The Central ScienceISBN: 9780137542970Not the one you use?Change textbook

Brown 15th Edition

Ch.6 - Electronic Structure of Atoms

Problem 5a

Chapter 6, Problem 5a

The familiar phenomenon of a rainbow results from the diffraction of sunlight through raindrops. (a) Does the wavelength of light increase or decrease as we proceed outward from the innermost band of the rainbow?

Verified step by step guidance

Understand that a rainbow is formed due to the dispersion of light, which involves both refraction and diffraction.

Recognize that white sunlight is composed of various colors, each with a different wavelength.

Recall that when light passes through a medium like a raindrop, it is refracted and dispersed into its component colors.

Note that the innermost band of a rainbow is violet, which has the shortest wavelength, and the outermost band is red, which has the longest wavelength.

Conclude that as you move outward from the innermost band of the rainbow, the wavelength of light increases.

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.

Video duration:

Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Wavelength of Light

Wavelength is the distance between successive peaks of a wave, and it determines the color of light. In the visible spectrum, shorter wavelengths correspond to blue and violet light, while longer wavelengths correspond to red light. Understanding how wavelength affects color is crucial for analyzing the formation of a rainbow.

Refraction and Dispersion

Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another, while dispersion occurs when different wavelengths of light are separated due to varying degrees of refraction. In a rainbow, sunlight is refracted and dispersed through raindrops, leading to the formation of distinct color bands based on wavelength.

Order of Colors in a Rainbow

The order of colors in a rainbow follows the sequence of the visible spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet (ROYGBIV). As you move outward from the innermost band, the colors transition from red (longest wavelength) to violet (shortest wavelength), indicating that the wavelength of light decreases as you move outward.

Recommended video:

Guided course

00:36

Average Bond Order

Related Practice

Textbook Question

Consider the three electronic transitions in a hydrogen atom shown here, labeled A, B, and C. (b) Calculate the energy of the photon emitted for each transition.

Calculate the energy of the photon emitted for transition C.

Textbook Question

Stars do not all have the same temperature. The color of light emitted by stars is characteristic of the light emitted by hot objects. Telescopic photos of three stars are shown below: (i) the Sun, which is classified as a yellow star, (ii) Rigel, in the constellation Orion, which is classified as a blue-white star, and (iii) Betelgeuse, also in Orion, which is classified as a red star. (a) Place these three stars in order of increasing temperature. (i) sun (ii) Rigel (iii) Betelguese

views

Textbook Question

Consider the three electronic transitions in a hydrogen atom shown here, labeled A, B, and C. (a) Three electromagnetic waves, all drawn on the same scale, are also shown. Each corresponds to one of the transitions. Which electromagnetic wave (i), (ii), or (iii), is associated with electronic transition C?

Textbook Question

A certain quantum-mechanical system has the energy levels shown in the accompanying diagram. The energy levels are indexed by a single quantum number n that is an integer. (b) Which quantum numbers are involved in the transition that requires the least energy?

views

Textbook Question

A popular kitchen appliance produces electromagnetic radiation with a frequency of 2450 MHz. With reference to Figure 6.4, answer the following: (d) Which of the following is the appliance likely to be? (i) A toaster oven, (ii) A microwave oven, or (iii) An electric hotplate.

views

Textbook Question

A popular kitchen appliance produces electromagnetic radiation with a frequency of 2450 MHz. With reference to Figure 6.4, answer the following: (c) If the radiation is not visible, do photons of this radiation have more or less energy than photons of visible light?

views