Hydrogen Spectra: Electron Jumping & Emitting Lines

[Bassalisk]

Hello,


When electron is excited in single atom hydrogen, it jumps to a certain level, let's say from 1 to 4.

My question here is, does this electron jump back immediately to 1 or does it cascade itself down to 3 to 2 to 1. and emits 3 lines instead of just 1.


Thanks

 

[ZapperZ]

Hello,


When electron is excited in single atom hydrogen, it jumps to a certain level, let's say from 1 to 4.

My question here is, does this electron jump back immediately to 1 or does it cascade itself down to 3 to 2 to 1. and emits 3 lines instead of just 1.


Thanks

Haven't you just answered your own question? If it is the latter, then you would see 3 separate lines of different wavelength. Instead, you see only one, and the photons have the same energy as the 4-to-1 transition.

Now, it doesn't mean that the 3-to-2-to-1 transition doesn't occur in some cases. In fact, the 3-to-2 is part of the Balmer series. But the 4-to-1 transition isn't a result of a 3-to-2-to-1 transition. The Lyman series does occur.

Zz.

 

[Dadface]

As long as the jumps are between levels all possible routes can happen.
.4 to 1(in other words in one jump)
.4 to 3 to 1
.4 to 2 to 1
.4 to 3 to 2 to 1

 

[Bassalisk]

Look, i am asking, when i excite the electron from 1 to 4th level, in nature, what will happen...

I don't ask u what wave lengths i could get, but I'm asking you what will happen, what does happen...I know if electron jumps back from 4 to 1, emits a photon with energy difference from those 2 levels. And if it cascades we will get bigger wave lengths due to less energy, but we will see more lines.

I am asking you, what WILL happen, will the photon jump back from 4 to 1 and emit one photon or cascade down and emit 3 photons but with larger wave lengths, how does that effect behave?

 

[f95toli]

No one can tell you what WILL happen, there are several possibilities; each one with a certain probability. If you observe a large number of atoms you will see lines corresponding to all these probabilities.

 

[Bassalisk]

No one can tell you what WILL happen, there are several possibilities; each one with a certain probability. If you observe a large number of atoms you will see lines corresponding to all these probabilities.

Hence the Heisenberg?

 

[f95toli]

No, this has nothing as such to do with Heisenberg. It is just how quantum physics works: we are always dealing with probabilties and as far as we know this is just how nature works.