fiziks

Institute for NET/JRF, GATE, IIT‐JAM, M.Sc. Entrance, JEST, TIFR and GRE in Physics 
 
Atomic and Molecular Physics
JEST 2012
Q1. The binding energy of the hydrogen atom (electron bound to proton) is 13.6 eV. The
binding energy of positronium (electron bound to positron) is
(a) 13.6 / 2 eV (b) 13.6 / 1810 eV
(c) 13.6  1810 eV (d) 13.6  2 eV
Ans.: (a)
13.6 
Solution: En  
n 2 me
me  me m
 
me  me 2
13.6 me 13.6 1 13.6
En   2
   2 . Thus binding energy will be eV
n 2me 2 n 2

JEST 2013
Q2. A sodium atom in the first excited 3P states has a lifetime of 16ns for decaying to the
ground 3S state. The wavelength of the emitted photon is 589 nm. The corresponding line
width of the transition (in frequency units) is about
(a) 1.7 x 106 Hz (b) 1 x 107 Hz
(c) 6.3 x 107 Hz (d) 5 x 1014 Hz
Ans.: (c)
Solution: E  t  
1 1
f   9
Hz  6.25 107 Hz  6.3 107 Hz
t 16 10
Q3. If a proton were ten times, the ground state energy of the electron in a hydrogen atom
would be
(a) less (b) more
(c) the same (d) less, more or equal depending on the electron mass
Ans.: (b)
13.6 0.99995 me
Solution: En    13.59932    0.99995me
n2 me

H.No. 40‐D, Ground Floor, Jia Sarai, Near IIT, Hauz Khas, New Delhi‐110016 
Phone: 011‐26865455/+91‐9871145498
Website: www.physicsbyfiziks.com  | Email: fiziks.physics@gmail.com  
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 fiziks
Institute for NET/JRF, GATE, IIT‐JAM, M.Sc. Entrance, JEST, TIFR and GRE in Physics 
 
JEST 2014
Q4. The value of elastic constant for copper is about 100 Nm 1 and the atomic spacing is
0.256 nm . What is the amplitude of the vibration of the Cu atoms at 300 K as a
percentage of the equilibrium separation?
(a) 4.55 % (b) 3.55 % (c) 2.55 % (d) 1.55 %
Ans.: (b)
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Solution: We know that, E   A2 and a  0.256  10 9 m
2
1 1
For one dimension, K .E  k BT and P.E  k BT
2 2
1 2 k BT 2  1.38 1023  300
E  k BT   A  A 
2
  8.28 1023
2  100

 9.09  1012  0.0090 nm

Now, x of 0.256nm  0.009nm
0.00909nm
x  0.03551  3.5%
0.256nm
Q5. Which functional form of potential best describes the interaction between a neutral atom
and an ion at large distances (i.e. much larger than their diameters)
(a) V  1 / r 2 (b) V  1 / r (c) V  e  r / a / r (d) V  1 / r 3
Ans.: (a)
Q6. If a proton were ten times lighter, then the ground state energy of the electron in a
hydrogen atom would have been
(a) Less (b) More
(c) The same (d) Depends on the electron mass
Ans.: (b)
 13.6   13.6 1.00545me
Solution: E n  2
   13.526
n me n2 me
M m m
 m p  p ,   e p  1.00545 me
10 me  m p

H.No. 40‐D, Ground Floor, Jia Sarai, Near IIT, Hauz Khas, New Delhi‐110016 
Phone: 011‐26865455/+91‐9871145498
Website: www.physicsbyfiziks.com  | Email: fiziks.physics@gmail.com  
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 fiziks
Institute for NET/JRF, GATE, IIT‐JAM, M.Sc. Entrance, JEST, TIFR and GRE in Physics 
 
Q7. If hydrogen atom is bombarded by energetic electrons, it will emit
(a) K  X - rays (b)  -rays
(c) Neutrons (d) none of the above
Ans.: (d)
Q8. A hydrogen atom in its ground state is collided with an electron of kinetic energy 13.377
eV. The maximum factor by which the radius of the atom would increase is
(a) 7 (b) 8 (c) 49 (d) 64
Ans.: (c)
13.6
Solution: En  eV
n2
 E1  13.6 eV , E2  3.4 eV , E3  1.5 eV , E4  0.85 eV , E5  0.54 eV

E6  0.3777 eV , E7  0.2775 eV

Since Electron have kinetic energy 13.377 eV  13.6  0.2775 eV  n  7

 rn  a0 n 2  rn  49a0

JEST 2015
Q9. The energy difference between the 3 p and 3s levels in Na is 2.1 eV . Spin-orbit
o
coupling splits the 3 p level, resulting in two emission lines differing by 6 A . The
splitting of the 3p level is approximately,
(a) 2 eV (b) 0.2 eV (c) 0.02 eV (d) 2 meV
Ans: (d)
Solution: The fine structure splitting of Na in ground and excited state is
3 2 p3/ 2
3p
3 2 p1/ 2
2.1eV
1 2
3s 3 2s1/ 2
The transition 3 2 p3/ 2  3 2s1/ 2 produces photon of wavelength 2 and corresponding
12400
photon energy is E2  eV
0
2   
 

H.No. 40‐D, Ground Floor, Jia Sarai, Near IIT, Hauz Khas, New Delhi‐110016 
Phone: 011‐26865455/+91‐9871145498
Website: www.physicsbyfiziks.com  | Email: fiziks.physics@gmail.com  
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 fiziks
Institute for NET/JRF, GATE, IIT‐JAM, M.Sc. Entrance, JEST, TIFR and GRE in Physics 
 
The transition 3 p1/ 2  3 s1/ 2 produces photon of wavelength 1 and corresponding
2 2

12400
photon energy is E1  eV .The separation between 2 p3/ 2 and 2 p1/ 2 is
1   
0

12400 12400  1 1    
E  E2  E1    12400     12400  1 2 
2 1  2 1   12 
Given   1  2  6A also fine structure splitting is of the order of 103 eV .
0

Thus 1 and 2 are approximately same as  corresponds to 3 p  3s , whereas

12400 0
wavelength    corresponding to 3 p  3s transition is   A
2.1
2
 12400 
Thus, 12    
2

 2.1 
6 2.1 2.1 6
 E  12400  2
  2 103 eV  E  2 meV
 12400  12400
 
 2.1 
Q10. Which of the following excited states of a hydrogen atom has the highest lifetime?
(a) 2 p (b) 2 s (c) 3s (d) 3 p
Ans.: (b)
Solution: 2 p and 3 p are normal states. Electron from 2 p and 3 p make transition to ground

state within 109 sec . Electron in 3s state although can not come directly to ground state
but it can come to 1s through 2 p as 3s  2 p  1s , while 2s is metastable state and
electron in 2 s state can make transition to 1s slowly. Thus 2 s has long life time.
Q11. Which of the following statements is true for the energies of the terms of the carbon atom
in the ground state electronic configuration 1s 2 2s 2 2 p 2 ?

(a) 3 P 1 D 1 S (b) 3 P 1 S 1 D
(c) 3 P 1 F 1 S (d) 3 P 1 F 1 D
Ans.: (a)
Solution: The spectroscopy terms for p 2 are 1 S0 , 1 D2 , 3 P2 . According to Hund’s rule, state with

highest multiplicity lies lowest. Then, out of same multiplicity, state with highest L lies
lowest. Thus these terms can be arranged as 3P  1D  1S

H.No. 40‐D, Ground Floor, Jia Sarai, Near IIT, Hauz Khas, New Delhi‐110016 
Phone: 011‐26865455/+91‐9871145498
Website: www.physicsbyfiziks.com  | Email: fiziks.physics@gmail.com  
4 
 fiziks
Institute for NET/JRF, GATE, IIT‐JAM, M.Sc. Entrance, JEST, TIFR and GRE in Physics 
 
JEST 2016
Q12. The H 2 molecule has a reduced mass M  8.35 1028 kg and an equilibrium

internuclear distance R  0.742 1010 m . The rotational energy in terms of the rotational
quantum number J is
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(a) Erot  J   7 J  J  1 meV (b) Erot  J   J  J  1 meV
2
5
(c) Erot  J   7 J  J  1 meV (d) Erot  J   J  J  1 meV
2
Ans. : (c)
2
Solution: E  J  J  1 ,
2I
where, I   r 2  8.35 1028 kg   0.742 1010 m   4.597 1048 kgm 2
2

1.05 1034 J  s 
2
2 1.112 1068
  
2 I 2   4.597 1048 kgm 2  9.18  1048
1
 1.21  1021 J  1.21  1021  19
eV  7.57 103 eV  7.57 meV
1.6  10
 E  7 J  J  1 meV

Q13. If the Rydberg constant of an atom of finite nuclear mass is  R , where R the Rydberg
constant corresponding to an infinite nuclear mass, the ratio of the electronic to nuclear
mass of the atom is:-

(a)
1    (b)
  1 (c) 1    (d)
1
  
Ans. : (a)
R 1 m 1 m 1 1
Solution: RM     1 c   c  1 
m
1 c
m
1 c M  M  
M M

H.No. 40‐D, Ground Floor, Jia Sarai, Near IIT, Hauz Khas, New Delhi‐110016 
Phone: 011‐26865455/+91‐9871145498
Website: www.physicsbyfiziks.com  | Email: fiziks.physics@gmail.com  
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