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Question
- which statement best explains why different elements give off different colors of light during a flame test? excited state ground state 6 410 nm 2 5 434 nm 2 4 486 nm 2 3 656 nm 2 n = 2 energy level energy absorbed energy emitted a. because each element has a different number of neutrons in the nucleus b. because electrons absorb light differently in each element c. because each element has a unique arrangement of electrons and energy levels d. because each element has a different number of atoms in the flame
In a flame - test, electrons in elements get excited by the heat of the flame. When they return to their ground state, they emit light. Each element has a unique electron - configuration and energy levels. The energy differences between these levels determine the wavelength (and thus color) of the emitted light. Neutrons do not affect the light - emission process in this context. It is not about electrons absorbing light differently in this case, and the number of atoms in the flame does not determine the color of the emitted light.
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C. Because each element has a unique arrangement of electrons and energy levels