Light can be emitted and absorbed by atoms, but only when the energy of the light, E = hf, matches the energy difference, of two allowed states of an atom. For the transition m rightarrow n, the energy difference is Delta E = Eₘ - Eₙ. Thus, light will be emitted or absorbed in the only if hf = Eₙ - Eₘ. In hydrogen, the energy of the n-th electron orbit is Eₙ= -13.6 eV/n².
Transitions of the form m rightarrow 1 make up the Lyman series of spectral lines. Calculate the wavelengths of the first 3 lines in the Lyman series. In what region of the electromagnetic, spectrum do these lines appear?
