Lesson 01 - Atomic Spectra

Excited State

Occurs when an electron has the ability to move to a stationary state closer to the nucleus, but does not actually do it.

Ground State

Occurs when an electron cannot move closer to the nucleus because all inner stationary states are fully occupied.

Stationary States

Another term for the 'orbit' of an electron as it travels around the nucleus.

Emission Spectrum

The recording of photons that are released from an atom/ion as electrons move between stationary states.

Absorption Spectrum

The reverse image of an emission spectrum, showing black lines on a rainbow background representing absorbed wavelengths.

Localized

The particle's location is known.

Delocalized

The particle's location is unknown.

Bohr-Rutherford Diagram

A representation showing electrons travel around the nucleus in concentric circles at specific distances.

Photon

An energy packet that is absorbed or released by an electron as it moves between stationary states.

Line (Emission) Spectra

The pattern of colored lines emitted when an electron falls to a less excited state, each line represents a wavelength.

Intermolecular Forces

Forces between molecules that affect physical properties.