R

LEP
Balmer series / Determination of Rydberg’s constant
5.1.07

Related topics Cursors, 1 pair 02201.00 1

Diffraction image of a diffraction grating; visible spectral Measuring tape, l = 2 m 09936.00 1
range; single electron atom; Bohr’s atomic model; Lyman,
Paschen, Brackett and Pfund Series; energy level; Planck’s Problems
constant; binding energy. 1. Determination of the diffraction grating constant by means
of the Hg spectrum.
Principle and task 2. Determination of the visible lines of the Balmer series in the
H spectrum, of Rydberg’s constant and of the energy levels.
The spectral lines of hydrogen and mercury are examined by
means of a diffraction grating. The known spectral lines of Hg
are used to determine the grating constant. The wave lengths Set-up and procedure
of the visible lines of the Balmer series of H are measured. The experimental set-up is shown in Fig. 1. Hydrogen or mer-
cury spectral tubes connected to the high voltage power sup-
ply unit are used as a source of radiation. The power supply is
Equipment adjusted to about 5 kV. The scale is attached directly behind
Spectrum tube, hydrogen 06665.00 1 the spectral tube in order to minimize parallax errors. The dif-
Spectrum tube, mercury 06664.00 1 fraction grating should be set up at about 50 cm and at the
Holders for spectral tubes, 1 pair 06674.00 1 same height as the spectral tube. The grating must be aligned
Cover tube for spectral tubes 06675.00 1 so as to be parallel to the scale.
Connecting cord, 50 KV, 1000 mm 07367.00 2 The luminous capillary tube is observed through the grating.
Object holder, 535 cm 08041.00 1 The room is darkened to the point where it is still possible to
Diffraction grating, 600 lines/mm 08546.00 1 read the scale. The distance 2 l between spectral lines of the
High voltage supply unit, 0-10 kV 13670.93 1 same color in the right and left first order spectra are read
Insulating support 06020.00 2 without moving one’s head. The distance d between the scale
Tripod base -PASS- 02002.55 1 and the grating is also measured.
Barrel base -PASS- 02006.55 1 Three lines are clearly visible in the Hg spectrum. The grating
Support rod -PASS-, square, l 400 mm 02026.55 1 constant g is determined by means of the wavelengths given
Right angle clamp -PASS- 02040.55 3 in Table 1. Rydberg’s constant, and thus the energy levels in
Stand tube 02060.00 1 hydrogen, are determined from the measured wavelengths by
Meter scale, demo, l = 1000 mm 03001.00 1 means of Balmer’s formula.

Fig. 1: Experimental set-up to determine the spectral lines of the hydrogen atom.

PHYWE series of publications • Laboratory Experiments • Physics • PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH • 37070 Göttingen, Germany 25107 1
 R

LEP
Balmer series / Determination of Rydberg’s constant
5.1.07

Fig. 2: Diffraction at the grating. 2. Hydrogen spectrum

Due to collision ionization, H2 is converted to atomic hydrogen
2l in the spectral tube. Electrons from the H atoms are exited to
higher energy levels through collisions with electrons. When
they return to lower energy levels, the atoms emit light of fre-
screen quency f given by the energy difference of the concerned sta-
spectral tube tes:
DE = h · f (3)
where h is Planck’s constant.
Applying Bohr’s atomic model, the energy En of a permitted
electron orbit is given by:
d
1 e4me 1
l En = – n = 1,2,3… (4)
sin a = 8 «20 h2 n2
a
!êêêê
d2 + l2
where «0 = 8.8542 · 10-34 As/Vm is the electric field constant,
e = 1.6021 · 10-19 C is the electronic charge and
me = 9.1091 · 10-31 kg is the mass of the electron at rest. The
emitted light can therefore have the following frequencies:
grating
fnm =
1 e4me 1
1–
1
8 «20 h3 n2 m2
2 n, m = 1,2,3… (5)

If the wave number N = l-1 is used instead of the frequency f,

a substituting c = l · f one obtains:

N = Ryth 1 1n
2 –
1
2
m2
(6)

eye 1 e4me
where Ryth = = 1.097 · 107 m-1
8 «20 h3 c

Here Ryth is Rydberg’s constant, which follows from Bohr’s

Theory and evaluation atomic model.
1. Diffraction grating
If light of wavelength l impinges on a grating with constant g,
it is diffracted. Intensity peaks occur when the angle of dif-
fraction a fulfills the following condition: eV

n · l = g · sin a ; n = 0, 1, 2, ... (1) 0 n=`

Light is collected by the eye on the retina, therefore the light

source is seen in the color of the observed spectral line on the
– 0.9 n=4
scale in the prolongation of the light beams. Brackett-
For the diffraction of the nth order, the following relation is Series
deduced from the geometrical structure (Fig. 2): – 1.5 n=3
H« Paschen-
ionization energy 13.6 eV
energy level

l Series
n·l=g· (2) Hd
Ed 2 + l 2 Hg
Hb
In the examples given in Table 1, the average obtained for the
three measurements of the grating constant is g = 1.672 µm. Ha
– 3.4 n=2
Balmer-
Series

Tab. 1: Determination of the grating constant from the wave-

lengths of the Hg spectrum

Color l / nm 2 l / mm g / µm

yellow 578.0 330 1.680 – 13.6 n=1

green 546.1 311 1.672 Lyman-
Series
blue 434.8 244 1.661
Fig. 3: Energy level diagram of the H atom.

2 25107 PHYWE series of publications • Laboratory Experiments • Physics • PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH • 37070 Göttingen, Germany
 R

LEP
Balmer series / Determination of Rydberg’s constant
5.1.07

n = 1 : Lyman series Notices

Spectral range: ultraviolet
n = 2 : Balmer series - Next to the atomic hydrogen spectrum, the molecular H2
Spectral range: ultraviolet till red band spectrum may be observed if the room is sufficiently
n = 3 : Paschen series darkened. The numerous lines, which are very close to each
Spectral range: infrared other, are due to the oscillations of the molecule.
n = 4 : Bracket series - The Hd line is situated on the border of the visible spectral
Spectral range: infrared range and is too weak to be observed by simple methods.
n = 5 : Pfund series - The treatment of more complex atoms requires quantum
Spectral range: infrared mechanics. In this case, the energies of the states are deter-
mined by the eigenvalues of the hamiltonian of the atom.
Fig. 3 shows the energy level diagram and the spectral series For atoms similar to hydrogen, calculations yield the same
of the H atom. For m R `, one obtains the limits of the series; results as Bohr’s atomic model.
the associated energy is thus the ionization energy (or the
binding energy) for an electron in the nth permitted orbit. The
binding energy can be calculated by means of the equation:
1
En = –Ryth · h · c
n2

where c = 2.99795 · 108 m/s and h = 6.6256 · 10-34 J s =

4.13567 · 10-15 eV s. The ground state is found to be 13.6 eV.

Tab. 2: Examples of measurements for the H spectrum

(Balmer series) Distance d = 500 mm

Line 2l lexp llit Ryexp

Ha 384 mm 656 nm 656.28 nm 1.097 · 107 m-1

Hb 275 mm 489 nm 486.13 nm 1.093 · 107 m-1
Hg 243 mm 436 nm 434.05 nm 1.092 · 107 m-1
Hd – – 410.17 nm –

average: Ryexp = 1.094 · 107 m-1

PHYWE series of publications • Laboratory Experiments • Physics • PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH • 37070 Göttingen, Germany 25107 3