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Which color corresponds to 6?2 transition? 5? 2 transition? 4?2 transition? 3?2 transition? Explain your reasoning.

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Answer:

The transition 6→2, corresponds to the color violet.

The transition 5→2, corresponds to the color blue.

The transition 4→2, corresponds to the color aqua or greenish-blue.

The transition 3→2, corresponds to the color red.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Balmer series is the second spectral series in the emission spectrum of the hydrogen atom. This series includes the transition from an outer orbit having principal quantum number, n ≥ 3 to orbit having n = 2.

As energy (E) is inversely proportional to wavelength (λ) by the equation, E=hc/λ. So, high energy transition has lower wavelength and low energy transition has higher wavelength.

In the Balmer series:

The transition 6→2 is a high energy transition, so it corresponds to lower wavelength 410.17 and thus the color violet.

The transition 5→2, corresponds to wavelength 434.05 and thus the color blue.

The transition 4→2, corresponds to wavelength 486.14 and thus the color aqua or greenish-blue.

The transition 3→2 is a low energy transition, so it corresponds to higher wavelength 656.45 and thus the color red.

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