Chapter9ElectronsinAtoms.docVIP

Chapter 9: Electrons in Atoms I. Electromagnetic Radiation Light is also a wave. Visible light, as well as x-rays and radio waves, are forms of electromagnetic radiation. Collectively, they make up the electromagnetic spectrum. /petrucci/chapter9/ Electromagnetic radiation is a form of energy transition in which electric and magnetic fields are propagated as waves through empty space (a vacuum) or through a medium such as glass. An electric field is the region around as electrically charged particle. A magnetic field is found in the region surrounding a magnetic. According to Maxwell, electromagnetic radiation- a propagation of electric and magnetic fields- is produced by an accelerating electrically charged particle. wavelength, amplitude, frequency and velocityThe wave nature of light A wave is a disturbance that transmits energy through a medium. (a continuous repeating change or oscillations in matter or in a physical field.) Electromagnetic waves are characterized by a wavelength, a frequency, and amplitude. The wavelength, ?, of the wave is the distance between two successive peaks. The basic SI wavelength unit is the meter (m). Amplitude of the wave is the height, measured from the center line between peak and trough. Physically, what we perceive as the intensity of radiant energy is proportional to the square of the wave amplitude. Frequency, ?, is the number of crests (wavelength) that pass through a given point per unit time. SI unit for frequency, s-1, is the hertz (Hz). The Visible Spectrum A distinctive feature of electromagnetic radiation is its constant velocity of 2.997925 x 108 m/s in a vacuum, often referred to as speed of light, c. The speed of light is lower in any medium than it is in a vacuum. The speed is different in different medium and as a consequence, light is refracted when it pass from one medium to another. When a white light is passed through a transparent medium, the wavelength components are refracted different