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WEEK 6: Balmer series and the ground state of the
hydrogen atom
Brief Summary: The Balmer series or Balmer lines in atomic physics, is the designation of one of a set of six different named series describing the spectral line emissions of the hydrogen atom. The Balmer series is calculated using the Balmer formula, an empirical equation discovered by Johann Balmer in 1885. The visible spectrum of light from hydrogen displays four wavelengths, 410 nm, 434 nm, 486 nm, and 656 nm, that correspond to emissions of photons by electrons in excited states transitioning to the quantum level described by the principal quantum number n equals 2. There are also a number of ultraviolet Balmer lines with wavelengths shorter than 400 nm. Original Data: Helium Observed wavelengths (nm) Accepted wavelengths (nm) Refined Intensity Accepted relative intensity 389.07 388.86 1319 500 447.22 447.17 360 25 471.26 471.31 85 30 492.38 492.19 169 20 501.53 501.57 613 100 586.81 587.56 3987 500
667.52 667.81 1460 100 706.29 706.52 2181 200 727.77 728.14 182 50 helium wavelength angles BV 4388 126 degrees, 47 min BB 4471 127 degrees, 20 min B 4686 127 degrees, 50 min G 5016 128 degrees, 2 min Y 5875 129 degrees, 10 min R 6678 129 degrees, 35 min FR 7065 130 degrees, 2 min V 3889 124 degrees, 24 min Hydrogen wavelength angles R 6678 129 degrees, 40 min BG 127 degrees, 45 min BV 126 degrees, 35 min DV 125 degrees, 9 min
In conclusion, in this lab we were able to measure the spectrum of each Hydrogen and helium, each leading to the calculation of the Rydberg constant corresponding to each one. According to our data, although the helium spectral lines varied from the Hydrogen lines in wavelength, as seen by the standard error measurement discrepancies in the Rydberg Constant of each, the variance is slight. The largest value by which the wavelengths varied was designated in the red wavelength measurement as seen in our data tables. This indicated some systematic error. Also according to our data, the wavelength measurements of each color seemed to be shifted from the Hydrogen in the helium spectrum. Possible reasons for these results are the two day split for data collecting, human error, systematic error, etc. Had the lab been kept in a controlled environment, one in which only the personnel working on a specific lab are allowed to adjust the instruments, perhaps systematic error could have been reduced. Overall, considering the values that were attained in a two-day period with an archaic instrument that was calibrated by other personnel between the two days of data collection, this lab could indeed be considered successful.
