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Homework Statement
An atomic spectrum contains a line with a wavelength centered at 460 nm. Careful measurements show the line is really spread out between 459 and 461 nm.
Estimate the lifetime of the excited state that produced this line.
Homework Equations
Change in Frequency = Speed of light/Change in Wavelength
Time = The inverse of frequency
The Attempt at a Solution
Change in wavelength = 461nm -459 nm = 2 nm or 2x10^-9 meters
Change in frequency = speed of light/change in wavelength = (3x10^8)/(2x10^-9) = 1.5x10^17 in units of s^-1
Life time = 1/(1.5x10^17) = 6.7*10^-18 seconds
But this is wrong and I don't know where to go from here. Please help!