How many photons per second are emitted by a -mW CO2 laser that has a wavelength of mm?
Table of contents
- 0. Math Review31m
- 1. Intro to Physics Units1h 29m
- 2. 1D Motion / Kinematics3h 56m
- Vectors, Scalars, & Displacement13m
- Average Velocity32m
- Intro to Acceleration7m
- Position-Time Graphs & Velocity26m
- Conceptual Problems with Position-Time Graphs22m
- Velocity-Time Graphs & Acceleration5m
- Calculating Displacement from Velocity-Time Graphs15m
- Conceptual Problems with Velocity-Time Graphs10m
- Calculating Change in Velocity from Acceleration-Time Graphs10m
- Graphing Position, Velocity, and Acceleration Graphs11m
- Kinematics Equations37m
- Vertical Motion and Free Fall19m
- Catch/Overtake Problems23m
- 3. Vectors2h 43m
- Review of Vectors vs. Scalars1m
- Introduction to Vectors7m
- Adding Vectors Graphically22m
- Vector Composition & Decomposition11m
- Adding Vectors by Components13m
- Trig Review24m
- Unit Vectors15m
- Introduction to Dot Product (Scalar Product)12m
- Calculating Dot Product Using Components12m
- Intro to Cross Product (Vector Product)23m
- Calculating Cross Product Using Components17m
- 4. 2D Kinematics1h 42m
- 5. Projectile Motion3h 6m
- 6. Intro to Forces (Dynamics)3h 22m
- 7. Friction, Inclines, Systems2h 44m
- 8. Centripetal Forces & Gravitation7h 26m
- Uniform Circular Motion7m
- Period and Frequency in Uniform Circular Motion20m
- Centripetal Forces15m
- Vertical Centripetal Forces10m
- Flat Curves9m
- Banked Curves10m
- Newton's Law of Gravity30m
- Gravitational Forces in 2D25m
- Acceleration Due to Gravity13m
- Satellite Motion: Intro5m
- Satellite Motion: Speed & Period35m
- Geosynchronous Orbits15m
- Overview of Kepler's Laws5m
- Kepler's First Law11m
- Kepler's Third Law16m
- Kepler's Third Law for Elliptical Orbits15m
- Gravitational Potential Energy21m
- Gravitational Potential Energy for Systems of Masses17m
- Escape Velocity21m
- Energy of Circular Orbits23m
- Energy of Elliptical Orbits36m
- Black Holes16m
- Gravitational Force Inside the Earth13m
- Mass Distribution with Calculus45m
- 9. Work & Energy1h 59m
- 10. Conservation of Energy2h 54m
- Intro to Energy Types3m
- Gravitational Potential Energy10m
- Intro to Conservation of Energy32m
- Energy with Non-Conservative Forces20m
- Springs & Elastic Potential Energy19m
- Solving Projectile Motion Using Energy13m
- Motion Along Curved Paths4m
- Rollercoaster Problems13m
- Pendulum Problems13m
- Energy in Connected Objects (Systems)24m
- Force & Potential Energy18m
- 11. Momentum & Impulse3h 40m
- Intro to Momentum11m
- Intro to Impulse14m
- Impulse with Variable Forces12m
- Intro to Conservation of Momentum17m
- Push-Away Problems19m
- Types of Collisions4m
- Completely Inelastic Collisions28m
- Adding Mass to a Moving System8m
- Collisions & Motion (Momentum & Energy)26m
- Ballistic Pendulum14m
- Collisions with Springs13m
- Elastic Collisions24m
- How to Identify the Type of Collision9m
- Intro to Center of Mass15m
- 12. Rotational Kinematics2h 59m
- 13. Rotational Inertia & Energy7h 4m
- More Conservation of Energy Problems54m
- Conservation of Energy in Rolling Motion45m
- Parallel Axis Theorem13m
- Intro to Moment of Inertia28m
- Moment of Inertia via Integration18m
- Moment of Inertia of Systems23m
- Moment of Inertia & Mass Distribution10m
- Intro to Rotational Kinetic Energy16m
- Energy of Rolling Motion18m
- Types of Motion & Energy24m
- Conservation of Energy with Rotation35m
- Torque with Kinematic Equations56m
- Rotational Dynamics with Two Motions50m
- Rotational Dynamics of Rolling Motion27m
- 14. Torque & Rotational Dynamics2h 5m
- 15. Rotational Equilibrium3h 39m
- 16. Angular Momentum3h 6m
- Opening/Closing Arms on Rotating Stool18m
- Conservation of Angular Momentum46m
- Angular Momentum & Newton's Second Law10m
- Intro to Angular Collisions15m
- Jumping Into/Out of Moving Disc23m
- Spinning on String of Variable Length20m
- Angular Collisions with Linear Motion8m
- Intro to Angular Momentum15m
- Angular Momentum of a Point Mass21m
- Angular Momentum of Objects in Linear Motion7m
- 17. Periodic Motion2h 9m
- 18. Waves & Sound3h 40m
- Intro to Waves11m
- Velocity of Transverse Waves21m
- Velocity of Longitudinal Waves11m
- Wave Functions31m
- Phase Constant14m
- Average Power of Waves on Strings10m
- Wave Intensity19m
- Sound Intensity13m
- Wave Interference8m
- Superposition of Wave Functions3m
- Standing Waves30m
- Standing Wave Functions14m
- Standing Sound Waves12m
- Beats8m
- The Doppler Effect7m
- 19. Fluid Mechanics4h 27m
- 20. Heat and Temperature3h 7m
- Temperature16m
- Linear Thermal Expansion14m
- Volume Thermal Expansion14m
- Moles and Avogadro's Number14m
- Specific Heat & Temperature Changes12m
- Latent Heat & Phase Changes16m
- Intro to Calorimetry21m
- Calorimetry with Temperature and Phase Changes15m
- Advanced Calorimetry: Equilibrium Temperature with Phase Changes9m
- Phase Diagrams, Triple Points and Critical Points6m
- Heat Transfer44m
- 21. Kinetic Theory of Ideal Gases1h 50m
- 22. The First Law of Thermodynamics1h 26m
- 23. The Second Law of Thermodynamics3h 11m
- 24. Electric Force & Field; Gauss' Law3h 42m
- 25. Electric Potential1h 51m
- 26. Capacitors & Dielectrics2h 2m
- 27. Resistors & DC Circuits3h 8m
- 28. Magnetic Fields and Forces2h 23m
- 29. Sources of Magnetic Field2h 30m
- Magnetic Field Produced by Moving Charges10m
- Magnetic Field Produced by Straight Currents27m
- Magnetic Force Between Parallel Currents12m
- Magnetic Force Between Two Moving Charges9m
- Magnetic Field Produced by Loops andSolenoids42m
- Toroidal Solenoids aka Toroids12m
- Biot-Savart Law (Calculus)18m
- Ampere's Law (Calculus)17m
- 30. Induction and Inductance3h 38m
- 31. Alternating Current2h 37m
- Alternating Voltages and Currents18m
- RMS Current and Voltage9m
- Phasors20m
- Resistors in AC Circuits9m
- Phasors for Resistors7m
- Capacitors in AC Circuits16m
- Phasors for Capacitors8m
- Inductors in AC Circuits13m
- Phasors for Inductors7m
- Impedance in AC Circuits18m
- Series LRC Circuits11m
- Resonance in Series LRC Circuits10m
- Power in AC Circuits5m
- 32. Electromagnetic Waves2h 14m
- 33. Geometric Optics2h 57m
- 34. Wave Optics1h 15m
- 35. Special Relativity2h 10m
35. Special Relativity
Inertial Reference Frames
Problem 21c
Textbook Question
A triply ionized beryllium ion, Be3+ (a beryllium atom with three electrons removed), behaves very much like a hydrogen atom except that the nuclear charge is four times as great. For the hydrogen atom, the wavelength of the photon emitted in the to transition is nm (see Example ). What is the wavelength of the photon emitted when a Be3+ ion undergoes this transition?

1
Step 1: Understand the problem. The triply ionized beryllium ion (Be3+) behaves like a hydrogen atom, but its nuclear charge (Z) is 4 instead of 1. The energy levels of such an atom are scaled by Z² compared to hydrogen. We need to calculate the wavelength of the photon emitted during the transition from n = 2 to n = 1 for Be3+.
Step 2: Recall the formula for the energy levels of a hydrogen-like atom: Eₙ = - (Z² × 13.6 eV) / n², where Z is the nuclear charge and n is the principal quantum number. For Be3+, Z = 4. Use this formula to calculate the energy difference (ΔE) between the n = 2 and n = 1 levels.
Step 3: Use the relationship between energy and wavelength for a photon: E = h × c / λ, where E is the energy of the photon, h is Planck's constant (6.626 × 10⁻³⁴ J·s), c is the speed of light (3 × 10⁸ m/s), and λ is the wavelength. Rearrange this formula to solve for λ: λ = h × c / ΔE.
Step 4: Substitute the calculated energy difference (ΔE) from Step 2 into the formula for λ. Ensure that the units are consistent (e.g., convert energy from eV to joules if necessary, using 1 eV = 1.602 × 10⁻¹⁹ J).
Step 5: Compare the result to the hydrogen atom's wavelength for the same transition (122 nm). Since the energy levels scale with Z², the wavelength for Be3+ will be shorter by a factor of Z². Use this scaling factor to verify your result.

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above
Video duration:
5mPlay a video:
Was this helpful?
Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Hydrogen-like Atoms
Hydrogen-like atoms are ions that have only one electron, similar to hydrogen, but with a different nuclear charge. The energy levels of these atoms can be calculated using the formula E_n = -Z² * 13.6 eV/n², where Z is the atomic number. For Be3+, Z = 4, which means its energy levels are influenced by a stronger nuclear charge compared to hydrogen, affecting the wavelengths of emitted photons during electronic transitions.
Recommended video:
Guided course
Charge of Atom
Energy Level Transitions
When an electron transitions between energy levels in an atom, it emits or absorbs a photon with energy equal to the difference between those levels. The energy of the emitted photon can be calculated using the formula E = hc/λ, where h is Planck's constant, c is the speed of light, and λ is the wavelength. For the Be3+ ion, the transition from n = 2 to n = 1 will release a photon with a specific wavelength that can be determined using the energy difference.
Recommended video:
Guided course
Intro to Energy & Types of Energy
Rydberg Formula
The Rydberg formula provides a way to calculate the wavelengths of spectral lines in hydrogen-like atoms. It is expressed as 1/λ = RZ²(1/n₁² - 1/n₂²), where R is the Rydberg constant, Z is the atomic number, and n₁ and n₂ are the principal quantum numbers of the initial and final states. This formula is essential for determining the wavelength of emitted photons during transitions in ions like Be3+, allowing for direct comparisons with hydrogen.
Recommended video:
Guided course
Relationships Between Force, Field, Energy, Potential
Watch next
Master Inertial Reference Frames with a bite sized video explanation from Patrick
Start learningRelated Videos
Related Practice
Textbook Question
624
views