# Problem: What wavelength of light (in nm) if absorbed by a ground-state hydrogen atom could cause an electron to transition to n=3?

###### FREE Expert Solution

We’re being asked to calculate for the wavelength of light absorbed by a ground-state hydrogen atom to cause an electron to transition to n = 3.

We’re going to use the Balmer Equation which relates wavelengths to a photon’s electronic transitions.

$\overline{)\frac{\mathbf{1}}{\mathbf{\lambda }}{\mathbf{=}}{{\mathbf{RZ}}}^{{\mathbf{2}}}\left(\frac{\mathbf{1}}{{{\mathbf{n}}^{\mathbf{2}}}_{\mathbf{final}}}\mathbf{-}\frac{\mathbf{1}}{{{\mathbf{n}}^{\mathbf{2}}}_{\mathbf{initial}}}\right)}$

λ = wavelength, m
R = Rydberg constant = 1.097x107 m-1
Z = atomic number of the element
ninitial = initial energy level
nfinal = final energy level

Calculate the wavelength of light absorbed (λ):

###### Problem Details

What wavelength of light (in nm) if absorbed by a ground-state hydrogen atom could cause an electron to transition to n=3?