lyman and balmer

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

bellaha4F
Posts: 104
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:20 am

lyman and balmer

I'm still confused on how to use the lyman and balmer series. Can someone please explain this to me?

Minh Ngo 4G
Posts: 137
Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:17 am

Re: lyman and balmer

The difference in Lyman and Balmer series is where the electron ends up when it "fall". Balmer means the e- ends up at n=2 while Lyman means the e- ends up at n=1
As in calculation, you would use it with the En = -hR/n^2 (where n is your energy level). For example, if the question is: Calculate the energy of light emitted by an H atom when e- takes the transition from the 4th quantum level in the Balmer series.
Balmer series means n=2.
So, you would plug in n=4, get the answer (1)
Plug in n=2, get the answer (2)
Takes final minus inital so (2) - (1), you would get the energy of the emitted light

Brynne Burrows 3K
Posts: 52
Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:16 am

Re: lyman and balmer

If the problem doesn't give you the n final if the electron is losing energy, or they don't give you n initial when an electron is going up levels, then you have to know that Balmer signifies n=2 and Lyman signifies n=1. These will then be plugged into the Rydberg formula to calculate the energy of the light which caused the electron to move up or down levels.

Anish Patel 4B
Posts: 59
Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2019 12:17 am

Re: lyman and balmer

It is also important to know that the balmer series deals with visible light while lyman deals with UV.