## atomic spectra Rydberg

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

Nicholas Kull_3L
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:23 am

### atomic spectra Rydberg

Do you use the bigger or smaller n energy level value first in the equation v (frequency) = R (1/n^2 - 1/n^2) ??

Brian Chhoy 4I
Posts: 66
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:16 am

### Re: atomic spectra Rydberg

You should use the smaller n value as the n1 value and the bigger one as the n2, because the n1 should be the initial state.

Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:19 am

### Re: atomic spectra Rydberg

Final state - Initial state

We talked about how this is not always so, but for the most part, this is the correct way of thinking about it.

julia_lok_2K
Posts: 56
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:25 am

### Re: atomic spectra Rydberg

Honestly I never remember which one to use, but how I think of it is whichever order will get you a positive value. And if it's asking for energy of an electron going from a higher level to a lower level, I just get the positive value first then stick the negative sign in front of it, or say "this amount of energy released."