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🔋college physics i – introduction review

Hydrogen-spectrum wavelengths

Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025

Definition

Hydrogen-spectrum wavelengths are specific wavelengths of light emitted or absorbed by hydrogen atoms as electrons transition between energy levels. These wavelengths form discrete lines in the spectrum, known as spectral lines.

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5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

  1. Hydrogen-spectrum wavelengths correspond to the energy differences between quantized electron orbits in a hydrogen atom.
  2. The most important series of lines in the hydrogen spectrum are the Lyman, Balmer, and Paschen series.
  3. Bohr's model of the atom successfully explained the observed spectral lines of hydrogen by quantizing electron orbits.
  4. The Balmer series includes visible light wavelengths and is characterized by transitions where electrons fall to the n=2 orbit.
  5. The formula for calculating hydrogen spectrum wavelengths is given by the Rydberg formula: $\frac{1}{\lambda} = R_H \left( \frac{1}{n_1^2} - \frac{1}{n_2^2} \right)$.

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