A hydrogen atom is in a state. In the absence of an external magnetic field, the states with different values have (approximately) the same energy. Consider the interaction of the magnetic field with the atom's orbital magnetic dipole moment. Calculate the splitting (in electron volts) of the ml levels when the atom is put in a T magnetic field that is in the -direction
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1. Intro to Physics Units
Introduction to Units
Problem 3
Textbook Question
For the H2 molecule the equilibrium spacing of the two protons is nm. The mass of a hydrogen atom is kg. Calculate the wavelength of the photon emitted in the rotational transition to .

1
Step 1: Understand the problem. The question involves calculating the wavelength of a photon emitted during a rotational transition in a hydrogen molecule (H₂). This requires using the energy difference between rotational levels and the relationship between energy and wavelength.
Step 2: Recall the formula for the energy of rotational levels in a diatomic molecule: \( E_l = \frac{l(l+1)h^2}{8\pi^2I} \), where \( l \) is the rotational quantum number, \( h \) is Planck's constant, and \( I \) is the moment of inertia of the molecule. The moment of inertia is given by \( I = \mu r^2 \), where \( \mu \) is the reduced mass and \( r \) is the equilibrium spacing.
Step 3: Calculate the reduced mass \( \mu \) of the H₂ molecule using \( \mu = \frac{m_1 m_2}{m_1 + m_2} \). Since both atoms are hydrogen, \( m_1 = m_2 = 1.67 \times 10^{-27} \, \text{kg} \). Substitute these values into the formula.
Step 4: Substitute the reduced mass \( \mu \) and the equilibrium spacing \( r = 0.074 \times 10^{-9} \, \text{m} \) into the formula for the moment of inertia \( I = \mu r^2 \). Compute \( I \).
Step 5: Use the energy formula \( E_l \) to calculate the energy difference \( \Delta E = E_2 - E_1 \) between the rotational levels \( l = 2 \) and \( l = 1 \). Then, use the relationship \( \lambda = \frac{hc}{\Delta E} \) to express the wavelength \( \lambda \) of the emitted photon, where \( c \) is the speed of light.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Rotational Transitions
Rotational transitions refer to changes in the rotational energy levels of a molecule. In quantum mechanics, molecules can occupy discrete rotational states, characterized by quantum numbers. The transition from one state to another, such as from l = 2 to l = 1, involves the emission or absorption of a photon, with energy corresponding to the difference in rotational energy levels.
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Energy of a Photon
The energy of a photon is given by the equation E = hν, where E is energy, h is Planck's constant (6.626 x 10^-34 J·s), and ν (nu) is the frequency of the photon. This relationship shows that the energy of the emitted photon during a transition is directly related to the frequency of the light, which can also be expressed in terms of wavelength using the equation c = λν, where c is the speed of light and λ (lambda) is the wavelength.
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Moment of Inertia
The moment of inertia is a measure of an object's resistance to changes in its rotational motion. For diatomic molecules like H2, the moment of inertia can be calculated using the formula I = μr², where μ is the reduced mass of the two atoms and r is the equilibrium bond length. This value is crucial for determining the rotational energy levels and, consequently, the energy of the emitted photon during transitions.
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