Bright line segments in a spectral emission are created when an electron moves from a higher excited state back to a lower ground state, releasing energy in the form of light that corresponds to the specific transition.
A bright line segment in a spectral emission is produced when an electron transitions from an excited state to a ground state. Initially, the electron is in its lowest energy level, known as the ground state (n = 1).
When the atom absorbs energy, the electron is excited to a higher energy level, or excited state (n > 1). This gained energy is precisely the difference between the two energy levels.
As the electron returns to a lower energy state, it releases the absorbed energy in the form of a photon, which corresponds to the bright line in an atomic emission spectrum.
The Balmer series, for example, involves transitions from higher energy levels to the n = 2 state, which produce visible light, explaining the spectral lines observed for hydrogen.
The number and pattern of these lines are unique to hydrogen and help establish its atomic structure and characteristics.