Simulation of Energy levels to demonstrate that:
This is an interactive Electron Energy Levels simulation modelling a hydrogen atom. A central gold nucleus (p⁺) sits surrounded by five concentric shell rings labelled n = 1 to n = 5, each annotated with its energy in electronvolts (−13.60 eV at the ground state up to −0.54 eV at n = 5). A blue electron (e⁻) orbits on the current shell. Pupils switch between two modes — Absorption (electron jumps to a higher shell when it absorbs a photon) and Emission (electron drops to a lower shell, releasing a photon). Clicking a valid target shell fires an animated photon whose colour and wavelength match the real hydrogen spectrum, with a live readout of energy level, energy value, and photon wavelength/colour band.
Search / keyword phrases
For finding, tagging, or describing it on ClassAdapt or in lesson searches:
- “electron energy levels simulation”
- “atomic absorption and emission interactive”
- “hydrogen energy level diagram GCSE”
- “electron excitation de-excitation animation”
- “photon absorption emission spectrum simulation”
- “energy levels and photons physics”
- “electron shell transitions interactive”
Adaptation features built in
The simulation already includes the ClassAdapt Adapt accessibility menu (⚙ button, or press O): light/projector default theme with a dark-navy toggle, Irlen colour overlays (cream, yellow, rose, blue, green), CVD filters (protanopia, deuteranopia, tritanopia), reading ruler, dyslexia spacing, reduce-motion, and classroom/projector mode. It also has full keyboard control (1–5 move the electron, A/E switch modes, R reset) and aria-live announcements for screen-reader users.
To extend pedagogical adaptation across the three ClassAdapt levels:
Supported — Pupils only use Emission mode, starting at n = 5, and simply observe that “electron drops down, light comes out.” A word bank (absorb, emit, photon, energy level) and a sentence starter: “When the electron moves down, it ___ a photon.”
Guided — Pupils predict the direction of electron movement before clicking, and match each transition to its colour using the on-screen wavelength readout.
Independent — Pupils investigate which transitions give visible light versus UV/IR, and explain the link between bigger energy gaps and shorter wavelengths.
Suggested class activity — “Colour Detective”
A 15–20 minute paired task suitable for SEND and lower-attaining Year 10/11 pupils:
Pupils work in pairs at one device. Set Emission mode and start the electron at n = 5. One pupil is the “Mover” (chooses and clicks a lower shell); the other is the “Recorder” (notes the photon’s colour and wavelength from the readout). They complete a simple table for several drops — for example, 3→2 (red, ~656 nm), 4→2 (blue, ~486 nm), 5→2 (violet, ~434 nm). The investigation question: Which jump makes the bluest light, and what does that tell us about the size of the energy gap? Pupils should reach the conclusion that a bigger energy gap produces shorter-wavelength (bluer) light. Finish with a whole-class check using the projector mode so everyone can read the colours clearly.
Keep the framing qualitative — AQA examines the model (electrons absorb/emit photons when moving between levels), not the −13.6/n² calculation, so the activity rewards spotting the pattern rather than computing exact energies.