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The Balmer series is the series of transitions and resulting emission lines of the Hydrogen atom as an electron goes from n ≥ 3 to n = 2 (where n refers to the energy level of the electron). The transitions are named sequentially by Greek letter: n = 3 to n = 2 is called H-alpha, 4 to 2 is H-beta, 5 to 2 is H-gamma, etc. As the spectral lines associated with this series are located in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum, these lines are historically referred to as H-alpha, etc., rather than Balmer-alpha, etc.
Balmer's Formula
- <math>\frac{1}{\lambda} = R\left(\frac{1}{2^2} - \frac{1}{n^2}\right)<math> with R = Rydberg's constant = 1.097x107 m−1
See also: Bohr model, Rydberg formula, H-alpha, Lyman series, Paschen series
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