Why is there a small variation in the spectrum of the same element?

[hav0c]

why doesn't the uncertainty principle lead to small discrepancies in the spectrum of the same element in different situations?
I think that since there is a whole area for the electron to jump from and to and therefore a small range of values of possible jumps for a single shell, so there should be small variations in spectrum.

 

[Simon Bridge]

why doesn't the uncertainty principle lead to small discrepancies in the spectrum of the same element in different situations?

It does. But remember - the effect is very small. It is noticed it as a line width.

See: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/atomic/broaden.html

I think that since there is a whole area for the electron to jump from and to and therefore a small range of values of possible jumps for a single shell, so there should be small variations in spectrum.

However, it is not useful to think of an electron jumping from a particular area to another particular area - the wavefunction is much more spread out than that.

You can work out the position and momentum wavefunctions when an electron occupies a particular energy eigenstate (shell) and see how they relate to HUP.

See also:
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=516628