Humphreys series

Term scheme of the hydrogen atom

The Humphreys series is that sequence of spectral lines in the spectrum of the hydrogen atom whose lower energy level is in the P shell .

Other series are the Lyman , Balmer (see also the versions there), Brackett , Paschen and the Pfund series .

spectrum

The spectral lines of the Humphreys series lie in the far infrared range of light. They were discovered in 1953 by the American physicist Curtis J. Humphreys (1898–1986).

Mathematical description

The wave numbers of the spectral lines are given by the formula

${\displaystyle {\tilde {\nu }}=R_{\infty }\left({1 \over 6^{2}}-{1 \over n^{2}}\right)}$

given, where

${\displaystyle R_{\infty }=1{,}0973731534\cdot 10^{7}\,{\mathrm {m^{-1}} }}$

is Rydberg's constant and stands for an integer greater than 6. ${\displaystyle n}$

From the wave number can be determined by the relationship

${\displaystyle \lambda ={\frac {1}{\tilde {\nu }}}}$

calculate the wavelength. Out

${\displaystyle E={\tilde {\nu }}\cdot c\cdot h}$

results in the energy of the corresponding photon .

See also

• Moseley's law

literature

• Humphreys, CJ: The Sixth Series in the Spectrum of Atomic Hydrogen . In: J. Research Natl. Bur. Standards . tape 50 , 1953.