## Lyman, Balmer, Paschen, & Bracket Series?

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

Ariel Fern 2B
Posts: 105
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 12:17 am

### Lyman, Balmer, Paschen, & Bracket Series?

Hi everyone! Can somebody help me understand what exactly these series are referring to? I know that generally it's about electrons emitting energy/photons when excited when moving between quantum levels, but I don't understand how all of these series relate to energy levels (n=1, 2, 3, 4...) as their spectral lines have such varying wavelengths (Balmer is visible light while Lyman is UV). Pretty much, how do the wavelengths in the series correspond to energy levels?

chrisleung-2J
Posts: 112
Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2019 12:17 am
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### Re: Lyman, Balmer, Paschen, & Bracket Series?

The Lyman and Balmer series refer to wavelengths that quantify a transition to a specific energy level for the Hydrogen atom. The Lyman series refers to transitions of an electron from one energy level to the n=1 energy level, as in n1 = 1. The Balmer series refers to transitions of an electron from one energy level to the n=2 energy level, as in n1 = 2. The Paschen series refers to transitions of an electron from one energy level to the n=3 energy level, as in n1 = 3, and the Bracket series refers to transitions of an electron from one energy level to the n=4 energy level, as in n1 = 4.

ishaa Diwakar 4E
Posts: 56
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2019 12:17 am

### Re: Lyman, Balmer, Paschen, & Bracket Series?

So the Lyman series (for UV) will correlate to any energy level drop that includes the drop from n=2 to n=1, since that is the largest energy level difference. The Balmer series (for visible light) will correlate to the energy level drop that includes that from n=3 to n=2, since that is the second largest difference.

Luyan Zhang - 2D
Posts: 103
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: Lyman, Balmer, Paschen, & Bracket Series?

The series refer to the different states electrons start at and return to. For instance, for all of n(final) = 2, the line is in the Balmer series (visible light)

Ariel Fern 2B
Posts: 105
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 12:17 am

### Re: Lyman, Balmer, Paschen, & Bracket Series?

Thank you all! That makes more sense; I guess I was just thinking of only transitions from adjacent shells - it makes more sense to consider the transitions from the other shells as well. Thanks!

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