A photon that is emitted during a transition in hydrogen from the n = 27 state to the n = 2 state is in which of the following series?
A) Lyman
B) Balmer
C) Paschen
D) Brackett
E) All of these choices are correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The transition from n = 27 to n = 2 is a large jump in energy, corresponding to the emission of a high-energy photon. This places the photon in the Balmer series, which includes transitions to the n = 2 state. The Lyman series includes transitions to the n = 1 state, which is an even larger jump in energy. The Paschen and Brackett series involve transitions to higher energy levels than n = 2. Therefore, the photon emitted in this transition is most likely to be in the Balmer series.

A Photon That Is Emitted During a Transition in Hydrogen