## H spectrum

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

Katherine Grillo 1B
Posts: 69
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:28 am

### H spectrum

What does it mean that the empirical equation En= -hr/n^2 only works for the H spectrum?

mayra martinez 1D
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:17 am

### Re: H spectrum

Well the reason the equation En= -hR/n^2 only works for the hydrogen atom is because for hydrogen z=1. For other one-electron ions (ex: He^+ or C^5+) with an atomic number z=# we use the equation En= (-z^2)HR/n^2. This is because the greater the value of the nuclear charge, the more tightly bound the electron is to the nucleus.

Chris Freking 2G
Posts: 60
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:29 am

### Re: H spectrum

The Rydberg equation does not take into account electron-electron repulsion, which is why it's okay to use for Hydrogen and H-spectrum (only one electron to worry about). It will not work for atoms with multiple electrons because of electron-electron repulsion.

Beatrice Petelo 1F
Posts: 62
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:17 am

### Re: H spectrum

The empirical formula does not work for atoms other than hydrogen and multi-electron atoms. For multi-electron atoms, we would use the other formula (the one with Zeff) because of electron shielding and repulsion caused by multiple electrons.