## Identifying n1 and n2

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

Ria Nawathe 1C
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### Identifying n1 and n2

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
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### Re: Identifying n1 and n2

For the Rydberg formula, $\nu = -R\left (\frac{1}{n_{2}}-\frac{1}{n_{1}} \right )$ such that $n_{2}>n_{1}$.

sophie esherick 3H
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### Re: Identifying n1 and n2

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
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### Re: Identifying n1 and n2

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
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### Re: Identifying n1 and n2

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

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