Electric Dipole Transition: Selection Rules & n Transition

[neelakash]

I referred to hyperphysics to learn that for electric dipole transition,the selection rules are

\Delta\ l =\ 1

Or, \Delta\ l =\ -1

And, \Delta\ m_l =\ 0

Does not it include n transition?

How is n transition different from transition among the orbitals?

I mean n transition leads to different energy state...That I know.But does the transition among l lead also to different energy state?

 

[cadnr]

Selection rules in spectroscopy is not a fun area to study in my opinion, and to work out all the selection rules for a particular molecular system can be quite tiresome. Atoms are a lot easier than molecules, which is what I'm assuming you are referring to.

n is one of the simpler quantum numbers from a spectroscopic point of view. It refers to the electronic energy level, and can go up or down by any integer amount, or even stay the same during a transition. It is the "principle quantum number", or the quantum number of an atomic shell.

Transitions in l require a change in the orbital angular momentum of the electron in its shell, which happens every time a photon is absorbed. Higher l means more angular momentum for the electron and a higher energy in a given n shell. I can't remember much about m_l though, sorry! I think it's the projection of l on the atomic z axis.