Question

A sodium atom will absorb light with a wavelength near 589 nm if the light is within 10 MHz of the resonant frequency. The atomic mass of sodium is 23. (i) Calculate the number of "yellow" photons of wavelength 2 = 589 nm that must be absorbed to stop a sodium atom initially at room temperature (V-600 m/s). [7 marks] (ii) What is the minimum time needed to cool a sodium atom?

Answer 1

Answer:

i)20369 photons

ii) 40 ps

Explanation:

Momentum of one Sodium atom:

$P=m*v =600m/s*23amu*\frac{1 kg}{6.02*10^{23}amu}\\P=2.29*10^{-23}kgm/s$

In other to stop it, it must absorb the same momentum in photons:

$P=2.29*10^{-23}kgm/s=n_{photons}*\frac{h_{planck}}{\lambda}\\=n*\frac{6.63*10^{-34}}{589*10^{-9}} \\==>n=20369 photons$

Now, for the minimun time, we use the speed of light and the wavelength. For the n photons:

$t=n*T=n*\frac{\lambda}{c} =20369*\frac{589nm}{3*10^{8}m/s}=4*10^{-11} second=40 ps$