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When a sample of gaseous atoms of an element at low pressure is subjected to an input of energy, such as from an electric discharge, the atoms are themselves found to emit electromagnetic radiation. On passing through a very thin slit and then through a prism the light (electromagnetic radiation) emitted by the excited atoms is separated into its component frequencies. The familiar dispersion of white light is illustrated below:
Solids, liquids and dense gases glow at high temperatures. The emitted light, examined using a spectroscope, consists of a continuous band of colours as in a rainbow. A continuous spectrum is observed. This is typical of matter in which the atoms are packed closely together. Gases at low pressure behave quite differently.
The excited atoms emit only certain frequencies, and when these are placed as discreet lines along a frequency scale an atomic emission spectrum is formed. The spectral lines in the visible region of the atomic emission spectrum of barium are shown below.
Spectral lines exist in series in the different regions (infra-red, visible and ultraviolet) of the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. The spectral lines in a series get closer together with increasing frequency. Each element has its own unique atomic emission spectrum.
It was necessary to explain how electrons are situated in atoms and why atoms are stable. Much of the following discussion refers to hydrogen atoms as these contain only one proton and one electron making them convenient to study. In 1913, it was Neils Bohr who solved many of the problems at the time by proposing that the electron revolves around the nucleus of the atom with a definite fixed energy in a fixed path, without emitting or absorbing energy. The electron in the hydrogen atom exists only in certain definite energy levels. These energy levels are called Principal Quantum Levels, denoted by the Principal Quantum Number, n. Principal Quantum Level n = 1 is closest to the nucleus of the atom and of lowest energy. When the electron occupies the energy level of lowest energy the atom is said to be in its ground state. An atom can have only one ground state. If the electron occupies one of the higher energy levels then the atom is in an excited state. An atom has many excited states.
Comment:
A hydrogen atom in its Ground State. The electron occupies the lowest possible energy level which in the case of hydrogen is the Principal Quantum Level n = 1.
The diagram to the right illustrates the formation of three series of spectral lines in the atomic emission spectrum of hydrogen.