The energy levels of the hydrogen atom vary with the principal quantum number n as

  • A. proportional to n
  • B. proportional to n squared
  • C. inversely proportional to n squared
  • D. independent of n

Explanation

The energy is minus 13.6 divided by n squared electron volts, so the levels crowd closer together as n rises and converge on zero at ionisation. This convergence is directly visible in a spectrum, where the lines of a series bunch towards the series limit. It also explains why transitions between high levels emit low energy infrared photons.

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