HW 1.15

[Sunjum Singh 1I]

For number 15 when finding the energy levels why do you assume when subtracting N1 from N2 that N1 is 1?

[princessturner1G]

I think n=1 because in the problem it states that it is in the ultraviolet spectrum. We learned that for the ultraviolet region that corresponds to the Lyman series. The Lyman series is from higher energy levels to the n=1 level. This is how we would know n is one.

[NatalieSDis1A]

The book does say that the Lyman series is defined by n1 = 1but why is that? Couldn't we still be in the Lyman series and start at, for instance, n =2 and go to n = 3?

[Luis Avalos 1D]

Because the wavelength 102.6 nm corresponds to the lyman series, we know that the energy level, n1, will be at the ground state (n=1).

[Chem_Mod]

The Lyman series is all wavelengths that arise from transitions involving n = 1 as the lower energy level (n₁=1 and n₂=2,n₁=1 and n₂=3, n₁=1 and n₂=4, etc). A 2 to 3 transition corresponds to a wavelength in the Balmer series.

If you didn't remember that the Lyman series involved n = 1, you could guess and check for this problem. There is only one set of two whole numbers that satisfy the equation (and n = 1 is one of them).