Light, Electrons, and Atomic Structure

crest

high point of a series of waves

troughs

low points of a series of waves

amplitude

a measure of the wave's strength

frequency (f)

number of complete waves crest plis trough that pass by a point in a gqiven time

Hertz (Hz)

1 wave per sec and Si unit of frequency

speed (v)

rate at which a wave travels, v=lambda x f

Particle theory of light

idea that light can be pictured as steams tiny particles emmited by light sources

Wave theory of light

states that light consists of a series of waves rahter than indivudual particles

electromagnetic wave

wave consisting of an electric field and a magnetic field vibrating at right angles to each other

Speed of light (c)

c= 3.00 x 10^8 m/s, the measure speed of light in a vacuum never varies, c=lambda x f

an arrangement of all forms of electromagnetic radation in order of frequency and wavelength

wave-particle duality

two sided nature of light between wave and particle, discoverredd by Max Planck and Albert Einstein

quantum of theory of light

staets that light consists of tiny bundles or packets of energy called photons

Spectroscope or spectrograph

instruments used in the laboratory to separate the colors and measure their frequencies

line spectrum

contains only a certain colors (wavelength)

continuous spectrum

contain the complete array of colors

energy level

specific orbits around the nucleus in which electrons can move

quantized

restricted to certain values

ground state

lowest energy state of an atom

excited states

all energy states other than the ground state

matter waves

waves associated with the wavelike nature of a particle in motion

electron microscopes

used to obtain sharp images of very small objects

wave mechanical model

model of an atoms that proposes that an electron in an atom behaves as three dimensional matter wave

standing wave

a wave that oscillates in place witout overall wave movement or transfer of energy

uncertainty principle

states that it is impossible to simultaneously determine the momentum and the position of an electron with precison

orbitals

regions of space in which there is a high probability of finding electron