MCQMediumJEE 2025Bohr's Model & Hydrogen Spectrum

JEE Physics 2025 Question with Solution

An electron in the ground state of the hydrogen atom has the orbital radius of 5.3×1011m5.3 \times 10^{-11} \, m while that for the electron in the third excited state is 8.48×1010m8.48 \times 10^{-10} \, m. The ratio of the de Broglie wavelengths of the electron in the ground state to that in the excited state is:

  • A

    44

  • B

    99

  • C

    33

  • D

    1616

Answer

Correct answer:A

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: The orbital radius in the ground state is r1=5.3×1011mr_1 = 5.3 \times 10^{-11} \, m and the orbital radius in the third excited state is r4=8.48×1010mr_4 = 8.48 \times 10^{-10} \, m.

Find: The ratio λ1/λ4\lambda_1/\lambda_4 of the de Broglie wavelengths.

From Bohr's quantization condition,

mvr=nh2πmvr = \frac{nh}{2\pi}

and the de Broglie relation,

λ=hmv\lambda = \frac{h}{mv}

So,

λ=2πrn\lambda = \frac{2\pi r}{n}

Therefore,

λ1λ4=r1/n1r4/n4=r1n4r4n1\frac{\lambda_1}{\lambda_4} = \frac{r_1/n_1}{r_4/n_4} = \frac{r_1 n_4}{r_4 n_1}

Since the third excited state corresponds to n4=4n_4 = 4 and the ground state corresponds to n1=1n_1 = 1,

λ1λ4=5.3×1011×48.48×1010×1\frac{\lambda_1}{\lambda_4} = \frac{5.3 \times 10^{-11} \times 4}{8.48 \times 10^{-10} \times 1}

Now,

5.3×48.48×101=21.28.48×101=2.5×101=14\frac{5.3 \times 4}{8.48} \times 10^{-1} = \frac{21.2}{8.48} \times 10^{-1} = 2.5 \times 10^{-1} = \frac{1}{4}

So the physically correct ratio is 14\frac{1}{4}.

The solution contains a discrepancy because one approach marks Option A while the detailed working gives λ1/λ4=1/4\lambda_1/\lambda_4 = 1/4, equivalently λ4:λ1=4:1\lambda_4 : \lambda_1 = 4 : 1. Since the listed options contain only 44, the most defensible marked option is A.

Using Bohr Radius Relation

Given: rn=n2r1r_n = n^2 r_1 in the Bohr model.

Find: The wavelength ratio between the ground state and the third excited state.

For the third excited state, n=4n = 4. Hence,

r4=42r1=16r1r_4 = 4^2 r_1 = 16 r_1

This also matches the given radii because

r4r1=8.48×10105.3×1011=16\frac{r_4}{r_1} = \frac{8.48 \times 10^{-10}}{5.3 \times 10^{-11}} = 16

Using

2πrn=nλn2\pi r_n = n\lambda_n

we get

λn=2πrnn\lambda_n = \frac{2\pi r_n}{n}

Therefore,

λ1λ4=r1/1r4/4=4r1r4=4r116r1=14\frac{\lambda_1}{\lambda_4} = \frac{r_1/1}{r_4/4} = \frac{4r_1}{r_4} = \frac{4r_1}{16r_1} = \frac{1}{4}

Thus, the ratio of de Broglie wavelengths of the electron in the ground state to that in the excited state is 1/41/4. Because the solution's labels Option A as correct despite this mismatch, the extracted answer is A with the discrepancy noted.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming λ1/r\lambda \propto 1/r directly without including the orbit number nn can lead to an incorrect ratio. Use 2πrn=nλn2\pi r_n = n\lambda_n so that λn=2πrn/n\lambda_n = 2\pi r_n/n.

  • Treating the third excited state as n=3n = 3 is wrong. Ground state is n=1n = 1, first excited is n=2n = 2, second excited is n=3n = 3, and third excited is n=4n = 4.

  • Reversing the required ratio is a common error. The question asks for ground state to excited state, so compute λ1/λ4\lambda_1/\lambda_4, not λ4/λ1\lambda_4/\lambda_1.

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