Final answer:
The equation for the energy levels of the hydrogen atom is given by the Bohr formula: En = -13.6 eV / n^2. The energy levels are inversely proportional to the square of the principal quantum number.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question concerns the equation for the energy levels of the hydrogen atom. According to Bohr's model, the energy levels of a hydrogen atom, which consists of a single electron orbiting a single proton, are given by the formula:
En = -13.6 eV / n2
Here, En represents the energy of an electron at a particular level n, which is known as the principal quantum number. This number can be any positive integer (n = 1, 2, 3, ...), and the energy level becomes less negative as n increases. The ground state energy of the hydrogen atom, when n = 1, is
-2.18 x 10-18 joules
Transitions between these energy levels result in the emission or absorption of light at specific wavelengths, giving rise to the hydrogen spectral series. Notably, the Lyman series corresponds to transitions ending at n=1, and the Balmer series ends at n=2.