Lyman v. Balmer Series

[Kiana Rogers 1E]

How do I determine if a certain line belongs to the Balmer Series or the Lyman Series? What is the difference between the two?

I am currently working on the Achieve Week 2,3,4 Homework, and I'm stuck on #11:
"A red line is observed at 656.3 nm in the spectrum of atomic hydrogen. Determine the values of n for the beginning and ending energy levels of the electron during the emission of energy that leads to this spectral line."

[Justin_Choo_3J]

Hello!!


The Balmer series consists of a series of lines in the visible region of the spectrum with n1 = 2. The Lyman series consists of a series of lines in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum with n1 = 1.

Because the observed red line in the problem that you are solving resides in the visible region of the spectra, this line belongs to the Balmer series and has n1 = 2.

[505734174]

Hello! The Lyman Series extends to n=1 energy level while the Balmer series only extends to the n=2 energy level; the Lyman Series encompasses UV light while the Balmer series covers visible light.

[Mia Yamada 1J]

To add to that, the visible region is around 400-700nm (a range of values that we just need to memorize), so when looking at the given wavelength (656.3nm), we can deduce that it belongs to that visible light region, and thus the Balmer series.

[raynebunado]

Hi! I had this question to but the Achieve HW actually helped to clear it up! I wrote in my notes that Balmer Series refers to visible light which is 400-700nm, whereas the Lyman series refers to UV light <400nm.

[Hailey Sarmiento 3E]

Hi! The Lyman series refers to electrons releasing energy and dropping to the n = 1 level and emitting uv light. The Balmer series refers to electrons releasing energy and dropping to the n = 2 level and emitting visible light.

[Srikar_Chintala_1E]

The Lyman series has to do with n1=1 and is a series of spectrum lines emitted by the UV light. The Balmer series has to do with n2=2 and is a series of spectrum lights emitted by visible light.

[SuryaDham 3E]

the balman series is visible light's atomic spectra with energy level, n, equal to 2
The lyman series is UV light's atomic spectra with energy level, n, equal to 1

[kylanjin]

The Balmer series deals with wavelengths around 400-700 nm in the visible region and has electrons dropping to the n=2 state after emitting energy. Lyman series deals with anything below that range and has electrons dropping to the n=1 state after releasing energy

[Grant_2A]

Everyone has done a good job explaining, I would recommend also just memorizing that visible light is 400-700nm and ultraviolet light<400nm so that you can determine between the series much easier in the future.

[Jieun 2C]

Lyman series is when the excited electron reaches the n=1 energy level and lies in the ultraviolet region. Balmer series is when the excited electron reaches the n=2 energy level and lies in the visible light region. You can determine which series by calculating the wavelength and see what region the wavelength falls under.

[Tess_Fleser_1D]

As mentioned by others, Lyman is when n=1 and Balmer is when n=2. I had some difficulty memorizing this so I remember Balmer as 2 because "B" is the second letter in the alphabet and Lyman as 1 because an "L" somewhat resembles a 1.

[Amy Huynh 1B]

Since the problem gives you the wavelength, we can deduce that this light is part of the visible light and we know that visible light is going to be Balmer!

[Clayton Dinh 3C]

A key fact to know is that any wavelength between 700-400 would be in the Balmer series and any wavelength between 400-100 would be in the Lyman series!

[Charlie Gravereaux]

The Balmer series lies within the visible light spectrum, and will always have a N1 ending in 2. As for the Lyman series, this lies within the UV section of the EM spectrum, and will end with N1=1. You can use either clue from the problem to determine whether its a Balmer or Lyman, it is gives you the ending "n", you can determine it, or if you are given whether its visible light or UV.

[Aaron Kim 1J]

The Lyman series involve jumps to or from the ground state, n=1, whereas the Balmer series, in which all the lines are in the visible region, corresponds to n=2. The Lyman series is in the ultraviolet region while the Balmer series is in the visible region.

[Ashley Johnson 2G]

Which region has a ground state of n=3?

[Aida Fraser 2I]

Do we have to memorize the entire electromagnetic spectrum? Or just that the Balmer Series refers to visible light which is 400-700nm, whereas the Lyman series refers to UV light <400nm.

[505734174]

Hello! To determine whether the line belongs to the Lyman or Balmer series, it depends on the end state of that photon; Balmer series goes to the visible light spectrum while Lyman spectrum to the ultraviolet light spectrum

[Brooklyn Burgess 3L]

Why does infrared involve a transition of n=3?

[505807269]

The Lyman series refers to electrons releasing energy and dropping to the n = 1 level and emitting UV light. The Balmer series refers to electrons releasing energy and dropping to the n = 2 level and emitting visible light.