Suppose that a certain atom possesses only four distinct energy levels. Assuming that all transitions between levels are possible, how many spectral lines will this atom exhibit?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The number of spectral lines that an atom with n energy levels can have is given by the formula n(n-1)/2. Therefore, for an atom with 4 energy levels, there will be 4(4-1)/2 = 6 spectral lines.

Suppose That a Certain Atom Possesses Only Four Distinct Energy