If an electron jumps from the n=2 orbit to the n=3 orbit, then what kind of spectrum will be produced: a continuous spectrum, an absorption line spectrum, or an emission line spectrum?

1 Answer
Jan 31, 2018

Let us consider hydrogen like atom. Refer to possible transitions shown for hydrogen atom in the figure below

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In the figure an electronic transition from n=2\ "to"\ n=3 has been depicted.

Observe the energy level as shown for various values of principal quantum number n. As the values are shown we see that for this transition electron jumps from Energy level of E_2=-3.40\ eV to Energy level of E_3=-1.51\ eV.

We see that E_3>E_2. Therefore, if a photon of appropriate wavelength happens to fly past a hydrogen atom in its n=2 state, the hydrogen atom will absorb the photon and hop up to the n=3 Energy level. As such it will be absorption line spectrum.