## Balmer/Lyman Series [ENDORSED]

H-Atom ($E_{n}=-\frac{hR}{n^{2}}$)

Luke_Lucido_3B
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 2:58 pm

### Balmer/Lyman Series

Can someone explain to me again why the chart goes up from a negative towards 0 when changing energy levels?

Rochelle Ellison 2H
Posts: 29
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 3:00 pm

### Re: Balmer/Lyman Series  [ENDORSED]

When Bohr's model of the H atom was established, free electrons (not part of the atom) were considered to have 0 energy. Electrons closer to the nucleus have less energy than those that are farther away. Since free electrons are the farthest away (n=∞) and have 0 energy then in comparison electrons closer to the nucleus (n=1,2,3,4...∞) must have lower energy so they are given negative energy values.

Luke_Lucido_3B
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 2:58 pm

### Re: Balmer/Lyman Series

Thank you that was very helpful

AsthaPatel4B
Posts: 17
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2016 3:00 am

### Re: Balmer/Lyman Series

Can somebody explain the concept of the balmer/lyman series and why the balmer series covers the visible region and the lyman series covers the ultraviolet region? Thank you. :)