REKHA G R

Lecturer in Chemistry

QUANTUM MECHANICS
Quantum mechanics is the science of very small things. It explains the
behaviour of matter and its interactions with energy on the scale of atomic and
subatomic particles.

Black body and black body radiation

If the radiant energy is allowed to fall on a blackened metallic surface or

carbon black, it is found that the energy is almost completely absorbed. A body
which completely absorbs the radiant energy falling on it is called a perfect
black body. The absorption is found to be more perfect if we take a hollow
sphere blackened on the inside and having a small hole for the entry of the
radiation. This is so because any radiation that enters through the hole is
reflected over and again by the walls of the sphere till finally it is completely
absorbed.

The most commonly used black body is as shown in figure.

It is a hollow double walled metallic sphere having a conical projection

‘p’ opposite to the hole H and is coated on the inside with lamp black. The
projection helps to avoid any direct reflection.

A black body is not only a perfect absorber of the radiant energy, but also
a perfect radiator. In fact, of all the bodies, the black body radiates the
maximum amount of energy for the given temperature. The radiations thus
emitted are called black body radiation.

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Black body radiation curves

1. For each temperature, there is a particular wavelength at which the energy

radiated is the maximum.
2. The position of the maximum shifts towards lower wavelengths with
increase in temperature.
3. The higher the temperature, the more pronounced is the maximum.

Planck’s radiation law

It states that energy is emitted or absorbed not continuously but

discontinuously in the form of packets of energy called quanta. The energy of
each quantum is given by the relation, E= hυ, where υ is the frequency of the
radiation and ‘h’ is called Planck’s constant. Thus the total energy emitted or
absorbed is either unit quantum i.e. hυ or a whole number multiple of hυ i.e.,
equal to nhυ

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Based upon these concepts, Planck deduced expression for the energy E λ
radiated by a black body at wavelength λ, which is as under

This expression is called Planck’s radiation law

Eλ → energy radiated by a black body at wavelength λ,

h→ Planck ’s constant

T → absolute temperature

k → Boltzmann constant.

c→ velocity of light

Rayleigh jeans law

Using the classical concepts of continuous emission of radiation,

Rayleigh and Jeans explained the distribution of black body radiation. It states
that emissive power of a black body at absolute temperature T and at a given
wavelength λ is directly proportional to T and inversely proportional to λ4.
8𝜋
Eλ = 𝑘𝑇
λ4

Eλ → Emissive power of the black body corresponding to wavelength λ.

k→ Boltzmann constant.

T→ Absolute temperature.

Compton Effect

Scattering of a photon by a charged particle usually an electron it results

in increase in wavelength of the photon which may be an X –ray or gamma ray
photon is called the Compton Effect.
h
λ' ̶ λ = Δλ = (1 – cosθ)
me c

Δλ → Compton effect

λ → initial wavelength of photon

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λ' → wavelength after scattering

h → planck’s constant

me →mass of electron

c → velocity of light

θ → scattering angle

Photo electric effect

When a beam of light with frequency equal to or greater than a particular

value (called threshold frequency) is allowed to strike the surface of a metal,
electrons are ejected instantaneously from the surface of the metal. This effect is
called ‘photo electric effect’

Characteristics

i. The electrons are ejected only if the frequency of the incident light is
equal to or greater than a minimum value, called threshold frequency
υ0 .
ii. The electrons are ejected instantaneously. There is no time lag
between striking of the metal surface by the light and emission of
electrons.
iii. The kinetic energy of the emitted electrons depends upon the
frequency of the incident light.
iv. Einstein explained different observations about photoelectric effect by
applying Planck’s quantum theory. According to this theory, each
quantum of light called photon has energy equal to hυ. When the
photon hits the metal atom, it transfers its energy to the electron.
Energy equal to threshold value is used up in the release of electron

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 and the remaining energy is stored as the kinetic energy of the
electron.
(The quantity hυ0 is called work function and is equal to the ionisation
energy of the metal atom i.e. hυ0 =E)
Thus hυ = hυ0 + ½ mv2 ……….(i)
Thus if the frequency of the incident light is equal to the threshold
value electrons emitted will not posses any kinetic energy.

Further, intensity of light means the number of photons hitting the

metal surface per unit time, an increase in intensity can increase the
number of electrons emitted but will have no effect on their kinetic
energy.

Equation (i) can be rewritten in the form

KE=hυ ̶ hυ0

This equation shows that kinetic energy of the electrons emitted varies
linearly with frequency of the incident radiation

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