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Q.Energy levels A, B and C of an atom correspond to increasing values of energy i.e. EA<EB<ECE_A < E_B < E_C. Let λ1\lambda_1, λ2\lambda_2 and λ3\lambda_3 be the wavelengths of radiation corresponding to the transitions C to B, B to A and C to A, respectively. The correct relation between λ1\lambda_1, λ2\lambda_2 and λ3\lambda_3 is : (A) λ12+λ22=λ32\lambda_1^2 + \lambda_2^2 = \lambda_3^2 (B) 1λ1+1λ2=1λ3\dfrac{1}{\lambda_1} + \dfrac{1}{\lambda_2} = \dfrac{1}{\lambda_3} (C) λ1+λ2+λ3=0\lambda_1 + \lambda_2 + \lambda_3 = 0 (D) λ1+λ2=λ3\lambda_1 + \lambda_2 = \lambda_3

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The key idea is that the total energy of the C→A transition equals the sum of the energies of the two-step C→B and B→A transitions. Since energy is inversely proportional to wavelength, this gives 1λ1+1λ2=1λ3\frac{1}{\lambda_1} + \frac{1}{\lambda_2} = \frac{1}{\lambda_3}, which is option (B).

The problem is about atomic energy levels and the photons emitted when an electron jumps between them. When an electron drops from a higher energy level to a lower one, it releases a photon whose energy equals the difference between the two levels. The wavelength of that photon is related to the energy by E=hcλE = \frac{hc}{\lambda}, where hh is Planck’s constant and cc is the speed of light.

Here, we have three levels: A (lowest), B (middle), and C (highest). The three transitions are:

  • C → B: wavelength λ1\lambda_1, energy EC−EBE_C - E_B
  • B → A: wavelength λ2\lambda_2, energy EB−EAE_B - E_A
  • C → A: wavelength λ3\lambda_3, energy EC−EAE_C - E_A

Notice that the direct jump from C to A can be thought of as the sum of the two smaller jumps: C → B then B → A. So the energy of the C→A photon equals the sum of the energies of the C→B and B→A photons. That is the physical insight — energy is additive, but wavelength is not.

Let’s work through it step by step.

  1. Write the energy for each transition using E=hcλE = \frac{hc}{\lambda}:

    • For C → B: EC−EB=hcλ1E_C - E_B = \frac{hc}{\lambda_1}
    • For B → A: EB−EA=hcλ2E_B - E_A = \frac{hc}{\lambda_2}
    • For C → A: EC−EA=hcλ3E_C - E_A = \frac{hc}{\lambda_3}
  2. Since the total energy difference from C to A equals the sum of the two intermediate differences:

EC−EA=(EC−EB)+(EB−EA)E_C - E_A = (E_C - E_B) + (E_B - E_A)

  1. Substitute the expressions from step 1:

hcλ3=hcλ1+hcλ2\frac{hc}{\lambda_3} = \frac{hc}{\lambda_1} + \frac{hc}{\lambda_2}

  1. Cancel hchc (which is a non-zero constant) from every term: …

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