Docsity
Docsity

Prepare for your exams
Prepare for your exams

Study with the several resources on Docsity


Earn points to download
Earn points to download

Earn points by helping other students or get them with a premium plan


Guidelines and tips
Guidelines and tips

Measurement of Rydberg Constant for Hydrogen and Helium using Balmer Series, Schemes and Mind Maps of Physics Fundamentals

Information about the measurement of Rydberg's constant for hydrogen and helium using the Balmer series. observed and accepted wavelengths, refined intensity, and accepted relative intensity for various spectral lines of helium and hydrogen. The Balmer formula was used to calculate Rydberg's constant for each element, and the results were found to be in good agreement with the accepted value, despite some discrepancies and systematic errors.

Typology: Schemes and Mind Maps

2009/2010

Uploaded on 07/02/2022

amaris-amador
amaris-amador 🇺🇸

1 document

1 / 5

Toggle sidebar

This page cannot be seen from the preview

Don't miss anything!

bg1
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
pf3
pf4
pf5

Partial preview of the text

Download Measurement of Rydberg Constant for Hydrogen and Helium using Balmer Series and more Schemes and Mind Maps Physics Fundamentals in PDF only on Docsity!

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.