Problem 1a.11

[Jessica Tejero 3L]

Hi could someone walk me through this please.

1A.11 In the spectrum of atomic hydrogen, several lines are generally classified together as belonging to a series (for example,
Balmer series or Lyman series, as shown in Fig. 1A.10). What is
common to the lines within a series that makes grouping them
together logical?

[Justin Vayakone 1C]

Each line represents energy released by the movement of a hydrogen electron from one energy level to a lower energy level. Each energy level is represented by a principal quantum number (n). What's common among each series is that their lines all involve the electron being in the same final energy level. For example, each line in the Balmer series involves the electron moving from a higher energy level to a lower energy level at n=2, but every line has the electron beginning in a different energy level above n=2. One line could be an electron moving from n=3 to n=2 while another line could be from n=4 to n=2. Since both lines ended up with an electron at n=2, they both belong in the same series (which is the Balmer series in this case).

[Giselle Littleton 1F]

What's common between them is that the electrons move closer to the nucleus in every case. So, they always move to lower energy levels.

[Mariah]

I am also confused about this, are they grouped by which lower energy level they are moving towards?