## Chapter 1 #57 [ENDORSED]

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

sofiakavanaugh
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Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 3:00 am
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### Chapter 1 #57

Lines in the Balmer series of the hydrogen spectrum are observed at 656.3, 486.1, 434.0, and 410.2 nm. What is the wavelength of the next line in the series?

Could someone please explain to me how they used the values given in the problem to determine which values to plug in the Rydberg Equation?

Thanks!

sandros
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:07 am

### Re: Chapter 1 #57  [ENDORSED]

You know that for the Balmer series, n1=2 and you have the wavelength of the last spectral line so if you plug in all your variables into Rydberg's formula you'll be able to get the n2 for the last line. The next line in the series corresponds to a transition from n1=2 to n2= whatever you got from your rydberg's equation +1.
Therefore you can calculate the Energy and then the wavelength by respectively using rydberg's equation again and the E= h x C/lambda .

Hope this helps.

clairedisc3b
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:07 am

### Re: Chapter 1 #57

Just to clarify though - in the solutions manual they say that n2 = 7. The values given are 656.3, 486.1, 434.0, and 410.2 nm. Does that mean that 656.3 is 3, 486.1 is 4, 434 is 5, 410.2 is 6? ie that the lines don't start at the second but at the third energy level?