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The Ozone Story

Effects of UV and visible radiation on molecules

  • 3 things to know
  • Components 01, 02 and 03

Overview

Recall questions on what absorption does to a molecule, why ultraviolet causes chemical change when infrared does not, and why one photon must carry the energy.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started
Numbers

What happens when a molecule absorbs an ultraviolet photon, how is the energy absorbed related to the frequency, and why does ultraviolet cause chemical change when infrared does not?

Numbers

What is an example of stratospheric photodissociation, why is visible light usually unable to break covalent bonds, and why must the energy of a transition come from a single photon?

Numbers

State the relationship between the energy absorbed and the frequency of the radiation.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What happens to a molecule when it absorbs a photon of ultraviolet or visible light?

    Model answer

    An electron is promoted from a lower electronic energy level to a higher one, leaving the molecule in an excited state.

  2. 2

    Why can a molecule absorb only certain photons?

    Model answer

    The energy of the photon must match exactly the gap between two of the molecule's electronic energy levels.

  3. 3

    State the relationship between the energy absorbed and the frequency of the radiation.

    Model answer

    ΔE = hν, where h is the Planck constant.

  4. 4

    Why does ultraviolet cause chemical change when infrared does not?

    Model answer

    Ultraviolet photons carry enough energy to move electrons between electronic energy levels, whereas infrared photons can only increase the vibration of bonds.

  5. 5

    Under what condition does absorbing a photon break a bond?

    Model answer

    When the electron is promoted into a level that no longer holds the atoms together and the energy absorbed exceeds the bond enthalpy, so that the two atoms fly apart.

  6. 6

    What name is given to bond breaking caused by absorbing radiation?

    Model answer

    It is called photodissociation.

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A3 ⁴₂He → ¹²₆C.
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