Identifying n1 and n2

[Ria Nawathe 1C]

How do you identify which energy level is n1 and which is n2 for frequency = R(1/(n1)^2 - 1/(n2)^2)? Is n1 always the initial energy level and n2 always the final energy level?

[Crystal Yu 1D]

For the Rydberg formula, such that .

[sophie esherick 3H]

In the Rydberg equation, n1 and n2 are whole integers from 1 to infinity where n2 > n1. You can also call n1 the initial energy level, for example for the Balmer series, it would be n1=2 and n2 would be any value greater than 2.

[Marisa Gaitan 2D]

I'm not sure if this answers your question, but it is always going to be final - initial. So I believe in the Rydberg equation you wrote out, n1 would be final and n2 would be the initial.

[Massimo_Capozza_1G]

When would this equation be applicable, or in what type of question would we use this formula?