Atomic Spectra (original) (raw)

Last Updated : 3 Nov, 2025

Atomic Spectra refer to the pattern of lines (bright or dark) produced when the light emitted or absorbed by atoms is analyzed through a spectroscope — an instrument that splits light into its component wavelengths so that the spectrum can be observed and studied..

When electrons in an atom move between energy levels, they absorb or emit photons of specific energies. These correspond to particular wavelengths of light, creating a unique spectral pattern for each element.

The three main forms of atomic spectra are:

• **Continuous spectra: Shows all wavelengths of light, produced by hot, dense objects.
• **Emission spectra: Bright lines are seen when electrons fall to lower energy levels.
• **Absorption spectra: Dark lines formed when electrons absorb energy to move to higher levels.

The hydrogen atom provides a clear example of how atomic spectra form. The Rydberg formula relates the wavelengths of spectral lines to electron transitions between energy levels, producing well-known series such as Lyman, Balmer, and Paschen.

**Interesting Fact

Every element has its own unique light signature, just like a fingerprint.

By studying these spectral lines, scientists can identify elements present in stars, gases, and chemical samples, and understand how electrons behave within atoms.

Atomic Spectroscopy

Atomic spectroscopy is the study of the electromagnetic radiation emitted or absorbed by atoms. It involves three main types of spectroscopy:

**1) Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: This focuses on the transfer of energy from the ground state to an excited state, explaining the electronic transitions when atoms emit light.

**2) Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy: This occurs when electrons absorb radiation to transition from a lower energy level to a higher one. It relies on the principle that free electrons in an atomizer can absorb radiation at specific frequencies. The absorption by ground-state atoms in the gaseous phase is measured.

**3) Atomic Fluorescence Spectroscopy: This technique combines both atomic emission and absorption, utilizing both excitation and de-excitation radiation.

**Uses of Atomic Spectroscopy

• It is used to identify the spectral lines of metallurgical materials.
• It is utilized in the pharmaceutical industry to detect traces of materials that have been used.
• It can be used to investigate elements with multiple dimensions.

Spectral Series

A spectral series is a sequence of wavelengths emitted or absorbed by energized atoms, arranged in a logical order. The hydrogen atom, being the simplest, produces the most basic spectral lines.

When light passes through a slit into a spectrometer, it forms an image of the source, which can be resolved under the spectroscope. The resulting image is shown as parallel lines with consistent spacing. When moving from the higher to lower wavelength side, the lines are farther apart at the higher wavelength end and eventually converge. The shortest wavelength corresponds to the fewest separated spectral lines, known as the **series limit.

Line spectrum of the hydrogen atom

A hydrogen atom is made up of several line spectrum series, including:

• Pfund Series
• Brackett Series
• Paschen Series
• Balmer Series
• Lyman Series

Spectral Series Formation

Bohr's atomic model effectively explains the set of energy levels (states) within an atom. These energy states are represented by quantum numbers (n = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,...). When an electron transitions from a higher energy state ****(n** h ) to a lower energy state ****(n** l ), a photon with energy **E = h( 1/n 2 h -1/n 2 l ) is emitted. As the energy associated with each state is fixed, the energy difference between them remains constant, producing a photon of the same energy during each transition.

Spectral Series Formation

These transitions divide the spectral series into equivalent series, with the spectral lines being separated using Greek letters to represent transitions between corresponding energy levels. Below are the key spectral series in hydrogen:

**Lyman Series (n l = 1)

• Discovered by Theodore Lyman between 1906 and 1914.
• The Lyman series occurs when electrons transition from higher energy levels (nh = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,…) to the lowest energy state ****(n** l = 1).
• All wavelengths in the Lyman series fall within the ultraviolet band.

**Balmer Series (n l = 2)

• Discovered by Johann Balmer in 1885.
• The Balmer series occurs when electrons transition from higher energy levels (nh = 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,…) to the second energy level (nl = 2).
• The wavelengths of the Balmer series fall within the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum (400 nm to 740 nm).

**Paschen Series (n l = 3)

• Discovered by Friedrich Paschen in 1908.
• The Paschen series occurs when electrons move from higher energy levels (nh = 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,…) to the third energy state ****(n** l = 3).
• All wavelengths in the Paschen series are in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

**Brackett Series (n l = 4)

• Discovered by Friedrich Sumner Brackett in 1922.
• The Brackett series occurs when electrons transition from higher energy levels (nh = 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,…) to the fourth energy level ****(n** l = 4).
• The wavelengths of the Brackett series are in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

**Pfund Series (n l = 5)

• Discovered by August Harman Pfund in 1924.
• The Pfund series appears when electrons transition from higher energy states (nh = 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,…) to the fifth energy level ****(n** l = 5).
• The wavelengths of the Pfund series are in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

**Humphreys Series (n l = 6)

• Discovered by Curtis J Humphreys in 1953.
• The Humphreys series occurs when electrons move from higher energy levels (nh = 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,…) to the sixth energy level ****(n** l = 6).
• The wavelengths of the Humphreys series fall in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

**Related Articles:

• Bohr's Model of Atom
• Electromagnetic Spectrum