Ionization Potential of Helium Atom
What is the ionization potential of helium?
Answer in J.
Final answer:
To find the ionization potential of an atom, you use the wavelength of light that causes the matter to ionize. This can be calculated using the Planck-Einstein relation where energy equals Planck's constant multiplied by light's frequency. Frequency is found using the speed of light equation which is then used in the Planck-Einstein equation to find the ionization potential.
Explanation:
The question is asking for the ionization potential of a helium atom. Ionization potentials denote the energy required to remove an electron from an atom. It's given that the minimum wavelength of light that can ionize helium is 50.4 nm. The energy of a photon of light can be calculated using the Planck-Einstein relation, E=hν, where h is Planck's constant (6.626 x 10-34 Js) and ν is the frequency of the light. The frequency can be found from the speed of light equation, c=λν, rearranged to give ν=c/λ.
Substituting constants and the given wavelength, and converting m to nm:
ν = (3.00 x 108 m/s) / (50.4 x 10-9 m)
Therefore, E = (6.626 x 10-34 Js) x ν
This would yield the energy needed to ionize the helium atom, and that value is the ionization potential of helium in Joules.
The ionization potential of helium is the energy required to remove an electron from a helium atom when it is in its ground state. In this case, we are given that a photon with a wavelength of less than 50.4 nm can ionize a helium atom. This means that the energy of this photon is enough to remove an electron from the helium atom.
To calculate the ionization potential, we can use the Planck-Einstein relation, which relates the energy of a photon to its frequency. The energy of the photon is given by the equation E = hν, where E is the energy, h is Planck's constant (6.626 x 10^-34 Js), and ν is the frequency of the light.
Given that the minimum wavelength of light that can ionize helium is 50.4 nm, we can find the frequency of the light using the speed of light equation, c = λν, where c is the speed of light (3.00 x 10^8 m/s) and λ is the wavelength of the light. Rearranging the equation to solve for the frequency, we get ν = c/λ.
Substitute the values of c and λ into the equation to find the frequency of the light. Then, calculate the energy of the photon using the Planck-Einstein relation. The result will give you the ionization potential of helium in Joules.
Understanding the ionization potential of an atom is important in various fields of science, especially in understanding the behavior of atoms and molecules in different environments. By knowing the energy required to remove an electron from an atom, scientists can better understand chemical reactions, electronic structure, and bonding properties of elements.