PHYSICS · Multi-part · Fermi University Physics · Atomic, Molecular & Optical Physics · One-electron atoms and the origins of atomic structure · One-electron atoms and the origins of atomic structure
Reading the Spectrum, Ch Lines, series and the term diagram: what a spectrometer measures
Problem
Lithium's three lowest levels have term values 43487, 28583 and 16281cm−1, measured below the ionisation limit (NIST ASD).
((a)) Sketch the three levels as horizontal lines below a zero marking the ionisation limit.
((b)) Find the wavenumber and vacuum wavelength of the line joining the lowest level to the next, and of the line joining the second level to the third.
((c)) Read lithium's ionisation energy off the diagram, in eV.