Lyman, Ballmer, Paschen series?

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The Lyman, Balmer, and Paschen series refer to the emission spectra produced when an electron transitions from higher energy levels to lower ones in hydrogen. The confusion arises from the understanding that the 1s1 configuration indicates the ground state, but hydrogen can exist in multiple excited states beyond this. Electrons can indeed fall from these excited states to the ground state or other lower energy levels, resulting in the observed spectral lines. The transitions are accurately described as falling to n=1 for Lyman, n=2 for Balmer, and n=3 for Paschen. Understanding these concepts clarifies the behavior of hydrogen's electron transitions.
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Hello there!

These series are the names given to the emission spectra when an electron gets excited and then falls from n=x to n=1 for Lyman, n=2 for Ballmer, and n=3 for Paschen series right? However, I though hydrogen only has 1 energy level, as the electronic configuration is 1s1. How can an electron fall from a higher energy level then? Please help!
 
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krackers said:
Hello there!

These series are the names given to the emission spectra when an electron gets excited and then falls from n=x to n=1 for Lyman, n=2 for Ballmer, and n=3 for Paschen series right? However, I though hydrogen only has 1 energy level, as the electronic configuration is 1s1. How can an electron fall from a higher energy level then? Please help!

You are confused. The 1s1 configuration refers to the ground state. All atoms have only one ground state. Hydrogen(as well as other atoms) has an infinite number of excited states, and there can transitions between the different states. You have described the Lyman, Balmer, and Paschen transitions correctly.
 

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