The lines of the Balmer series in the hydrogen spectrum are produced when an electron falls to which energy level?
- A. n = 1
- B. n = 2
- C. n = 3
- D. n = 4
Explanation
The Balmer series arises from transitions ending at n equal to 2 and it is the only hydrogen series that falls in the visible region, which is why it was discovered first. Transitions ending at n equal to 1 give the Lyman series in the ultraviolet, and those ending at n equal to 3 give the Paschen series in the infrared.