For which of the following transitions would a hydrogen atom absorb the lowest energy photon?
A.) n=4 to n=5
B.)n=5 to n=2
C.) n=4 to n=3
D.)n=3 to n=1
E.) n=3 to n=2
A.) n=4 to n=5
B.)n=5 to n=2
C.) n=4 to n=3
D.)n=3 to n=1
E.) n=3 to n=2
Grover
This question is kind of a freebie. Of the choices only one shows a lower to higher level transition which is what happens when a photon is absorbed.
If you want a more detailed understanding, look at this diagram.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_spectral_series#/media/File:Hydrogen_transitions.svg
Keep in mind that the longer the wavelength, the lower the energy.
So the lowest energy (longest wavelength) transition on the graph is the 3<--->4.
It's lower energy than 1<--->2 and 2<--->3
By implication the higher the single level transition, the lower the energy difference.
So even though a 4<--->5 transition is not shown on the diagram it would be lower energy than a 3<--->4.
Fern
When a hydrogen atom absorbs energy, as it does when an electric discharge passes through it,
the electron is raised from the orbit having n = 1 to a higher orbit, to n = 2 or n = 3 or even higher. The hydrogen atom is now in an excited state. These higher orbits are less stable than the lower ones, so the electron quickly drops to a lower orbit.
Answer is A.) n = 4 to n = 5
Look at the following websites:
http://web.mst.edu/~tbone/Subjects/TBone/atomicreview.pdf
https://chemistry.tutorvista.com/inorganic-chemistry/hydrogen-absorption-spectrum.html