Core Atomic Structure II: Electronic Structure

Core Atomic Structure: Electronic Structure

Slide 26 of 44

Characteristics of the Hydrogen Emission spectrum

Note three characteristics of the hydrogen spectrum:

1. Emission spectrum consists of lines that appear in groups referred to as series.

–The series shown in the previous slide is the Balmer series, the series that occurs in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

–The complete spectrum includes a series to the left of Balmer series, the Lyman series, and several to the right such as Paschen, Brackett, and Pfund.

2. Within each series, the lines converge at higher frequencies just as in the Balmer series.

3. The two series at the higher energy end are separated by a large gap and neither overlap with any other series.

NB: The lines on an emission spectrum are NOT/do NOT represent energy levels!!!