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PES Spectrum Interactive Visualizer

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How to Use

  1. Choose an element from the dropdown to load its PES profile (H through Ar).
  2. Toggle Show electron configuration to compare subshell notation beneath the chart.
  3. Toggle Annotate peaks to view the subshell labels above each Gaussian peak.
  4. Hover over any peak to display a tooltip listing the subshell, electron count, and approximate binding energy.
  5. Compare multiple elements to see how increasing nuclear charge shifts the peaks to higher binding energy.

Classroom Ideas

  • Trend Analysis: Ask students to select neon, sodium, and magnesium, then explain why the outer peaks shift right as nuclear charge increases.
  • Configuration Check: Hide annotations and have learners deduce the electron configuration based solely on peak heights.
  • Exit Ticket: Provide a screenshot of a PES spectrum and ask students to pick the matching element via the simulator.

Educational Context

  • Subject: AP Chemistry — Electron Configuration and Photoelectron Spectroscopy
  • Grade Level: 11–12
  • Learning Objectives:
  • Analyze PES spectra to identify subshell peaks and relative electron counts.
  • Evaluate how effective nuclear charge affects binding energy positions across elements.
  • Duration: 10 minutes of guided exploration or station work.
  • Prerequisites: Quantum numbers, electron configurations, and PES basics.
  • Assessment Ideas: Quick-write explaining how Na and Mg spectra differ; matching exercises connecting PES plots to configurations.