IB Chemistry SL Structure 1.3

Electromagnetic Spectrum

Electromagnetic Spectrum

A range of frequencies covering all electromagnetic radiation and their respective wavelengths and energy.

Frequency

The number of waves that pass a point in one second.

Wavelength

The distance between two consecutive peaks on a wave.

Speed of light

Constant speed of electromagnetic waves in a vacuum, approximately 3.00 x 10^8 m/s.

Gamma Rays

High frequency and high energy electromagnetic radiation that can be very damaging to health.

Continuous Spectrum

A spectrum that displays all the colors or frequencies of light.

Line Spectrum

A spectrum that only shows certain specific frequencies of emitted light.

Quantised Energy

Energy levels that electrons can possess, representing specific amounts of energy.

Emission Spectrum

A spectrum formed when electrons fall from higher to lower energy levels emitting specific frequencies of light.

Absorption Spectrum

A spectrum that shows which frequencies of light are absorbed when electrons jump from lower to higher energy levels.

Principal Quantum Number

A number (n) that designates the energy level of an electron in an atom.

Shells

Arrangements of electrons around an atomic nucleus corresponding to different principal energy levels.

Subshells

Divisions of principal quantum shells designated by letters (s, p, d, f) indicating energy levels.

Orbitals

Regions in subshells where electrons are likely to be found, each can hold a maximum of two electrons.

Aufbau Principle

The principle that electrons fill the lowest energy orbitals first.

Degenerate Orbitals

Orbitals within the same subshell that have the same energy.

Energy Levels

Different quantized states at which electrons can exist in an atom.

Ionisation Energy

The energy required to remove an electron from an atom.

Convergence in Spectra

The term describing how spectral lines get closer together at higher energy levels.

Quantum Theory

A theory in physics that describes the behavior of energy and matter at atomic and subatomic levels.

Helium Line Spectrum

A spectrum showing specific frequencies emitted by helium atoms, indicating quantized energy levels.

n=1 principal shell

The lowest energy level that can hold up to 2 electrons.

n=2 principal shell

The energy level that can hold up to 8 electrons.

s orbital

A spherical shaped orbital that can hold up to 2 electrons.

p orbital

A dumbbell-shaped orbital that can hold up to 6 electrons across three orientations (px, py, pz).

d orbital

An orbital that can hold up to 10 electrons and has more complex shapes.

f orbital

An orbital that can hold up to 14 electrons and is found in elements with more than 57 electrons.

Hydrogen Line Emission Spectrum

A spectrum that shows specific lines corresponding to energy transitions in hydrogen's electron configuration.

Quantized Energy Levels

The fixed energies that electrons are allowed to have in an atom.

Energy Transitions

The process by which electrons move from higher to lower energy levels, emitting or absorbing energy.

Variable Energy Subshells

The order of subshell filling does not follow a regular pattern in principal quantum numbers 3 or higher.

Balmer Series

The set of spectral lines of hydrogen corresponding to transitions to the n=2 energy level.