The Balmer series is a series of spectral lines emitted by hydrogen atoms when electrons transition from higher energy levels to the second energy level. This series of lines, discovered by Johann Balmer in 1885, is an important concept in the Bohr model of the atom, which describes the discrete energy levels of electrons within an atom.
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The Balmer series includes four visible spectral lines in the hydrogen spectrum: red (656.3 nm), blue-green (486.1 nm), blue (434.0 nm), and violet (410.2 nm).
The Balmer series is described by the Balmer formula, which relates the wavelengths of the emitted photons to the energy levels involved in the electron transitions.
The Balmer series is the result of electrons transitioning from higher energy levels (n = 3, 4, 5, 6, etc.) to the second energy level (n = 2) in the Bohr model.
The Balmer series is important in the study of atomic structure and the behavior of electrons within atoms, as it provides evidence for the discrete nature of energy levels.
The Balmer series is observed not only in hydrogen but also in other elements, such as singly-ionized helium (He II), when the atoms or ions have a similar electronic structure to hydrogen.
Review Questions
Explain the relationship between the Balmer series and the Bohr model of the atom.
The Balmer series is a direct consequence of the Bohr model, which describes electrons as occupying discrete, quantized energy levels within an atom. In the Bohr model, when electrons in hydrogen atoms transition from higher energy levels to the second energy level (n = 2), they emit photons with specific wavelengths that make up the Balmer series. This series of spectral lines provides experimental evidence for the Bohr model's prediction of the atom's quantized energy levels.
Describe the key features of the Balmer series and how they are related to the electronic structure of the hydrogen atom.
The Balmer series consists of four visible spectral lines in the hydrogen spectrum, corresponding to the wavelengths of 656.3 nm (red), 486.1 nm (blue-green), 434.0 nm (blue), and 410.2 nm (violet). These lines are produced when electrons in hydrogen atoms transition from higher energy levels (n = 3, 4, 5, 6, etc.) down to the second energy level (n = 2). The specific wavelengths of the Balmer series lines are determined by the energy differences between these energy levels, as described by the Balmer formula. The Balmer series, therefore, provides insight into the quantized electronic structure of the hydrogen atom as proposed by the Bohr model.
Evaluate the significance of the Balmer series in the development of our understanding of atomic structure and the behavior of electrons within atoms.
The Balmer series was a crucial piece of experimental evidence that supported the Bohr model of the atom and the concept of quantized energy levels. Prior to the Balmer series, the behavior of electrons within atoms was not well understood. The observation of the discrete spectral lines in the Balmer series demonstrated that electrons could only occupy certain fixed energy levels, and that transitions between these levels resulted in the emission of photons with specific wavelengths. This provided strong support for the Bohr model and the idea that electrons within atoms have a quantized, rather than continuous, distribution of energy. The Balmer series, and the broader understanding of atomic structure it enabled, laid the foundation for the development of quantum mechanics and our modern understanding of the behavior of electrons and the structure of atoms.
The discrete, quantized states that electrons can occupy within an atom, each with a specific amount of energy.
Electron Transitions: The movement of electrons between different energy levels within an atom, which can result in the emission or absorption of photons.