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Atomic Spectra MCQs for MDCAT Practice

Physics section, Atomic Spectra chapter. Up to eight free sample questions, each with the correct answer and a worked explanation. The full chapter opens in the app.

The bank has 914 active questions on this chapter. Your first 500 practice attempts are free, and every attempt includes a worked explanation.

  1. Question 1
    The angular momentum of the hydrogen atom in ground state is equal to
    • h/2π (correct answer)
    • 2h/2π
    • π/2h
    • 2π/h
    Correct answer: A
    This question tests the fundamental concept of quantized angular momentum in the hydrogen atom's ground state, a cornerstone of Bohr's model.
  2. Question 2
    X-rays can be produced by bombardment of ____ on target material:
    • Protons
    • Neutrons
    • Alpha particles
    • Electrons (correct answer)
    Correct answer: D
    X-rays are generated when high-energy electrons strike a metal target, causing rapid deceleration and atomic electron transitions.
  3. Question 3
    The energy of a Kα characteristic X-ray depends on:
    • Voltage applied across the tube
    • Atomic number of the target (correct answer)
    • Current in the filament
    • Thickness of the target
    Correct answer: B
    Kα X-ray energy is determined by the target's atomic number, reflecting electron shell transitions, not tube operating parameters.
  4. Question 4
    If electronic transitions in the hydrogen atom terminate in the second orbit, the emitted series is known as:
    • Brackett series
    • Paschen series
    • Lyman series
    • Balmer series (correct answer)
    • Pfund series
    Correct answer: D
    Identify the spectral series of hydrogen based on the final energy level of electronic transitions, a key concept in atomic physics.
  5. Question 5
    X-rays were discovered by
    • Becquerel
    • Roentgen (correct answer)
    • Marie Curie
    • Von Laue
    Correct answer: B
    Identify the discoverer of X-rays, a crucial milestone in physics and medical imaging.
  6. Question 6
    Bohr's theory was modified by
    • Rutherford and Soddy
    • Planck
    • Hund
    • Sommerfield (correct answer)
    Correct answer: D
    Sommerfield refined Bohr's atomic model by introducing elliptical orbits and relativistic corrections, explaining fine spectral lines.
  7. Question 7
    The sum of absorption and transmission of light in a medium is equal to?
    • Incident light (correct answer)
    • Reflected light
    • Any of a or b
    • None of these
    Correct answer: A
    The total light interacting with a medium is conserved; absorption and transmission account for the incident light not reflected.
  8. Question 8
    How much heavier is the H-atom as compared to electrons?
    • 1937
    • 1737
    • 1877
    • 1837 (correct answer)
    Correct answer: D
    The mass of a hydrogen atom is approximately 1837 times greater than the mass of an electron, primarily due to the proton's significantly larger mass.

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Read the full Atomic Spectra chapter notes: Atomic Spectra notes. Or browse every chapter.