The key difference between Lyman and Balmer series is that Lyman series forms when an excited electron reaches the n=1 energy level whereas Balmer series forms when an excited electron reaches the n=2 energy level.
Lyman series and Balmer series are named after the scientists who found them. The physicist Theodore Lyman discovered the Lyman series while Johann Balmer discovered the Balmer series. These are types of hydrogen spectral lines. These two line series arise from emission spectra of the hydrogen atom.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Lyman Series
3. What is Balmer Series
4. Side by Side Comparison – Lyman vs Balmer Series in Tabular Form
5. Summary
What is Lyman Series?
Lyman series is a hydrogen spectral line series that forms when an excited electron comes to the n=1 energy level. And, this energy level is the lowest energy level of the hydrogen atom. The formation of this line series is due to the ultraviolet emission lines of the hydrogen atom.
Figure 01: Lyman Series
Moreover, we can name each transition using Greek letters; the transition of an excited electron from n=2 to n=1 is Lyman alpha spectral line, from n=3 to n=1 is Lyman beta, and so on. The physicist Theodore Lyman found the Lyman series in 1906.
What is Balmer Series?
Balmer series is a hydrogen spectral line series that forms when an excited electron comes to the n=2 energy level. Further, this series shows the spectral lines for emissions of the hydrogen atom, and it has several prominent ultraviolet Balmer lines having wavelengths that are shorter than 400 nm.
Figure 02: Balmer Series
Balmer series is calculated using the Balmer formula, which is an empirical equation discovered by Johann Balmer in 1885.
Figure 03: Electron Transition for the Formation of the Balmer Series
When naming each line in the series, we use the letter “H” with Greek letters. For example, from n=3 to n=2 transition gives rise to the H-alpha line, from n=4 to n=2 gives rise to the H-beta line and so on. The letter “H” stands for “hydrogen”. When considering the wavelengths, the first spectral line is in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum. And, this first line has a bright red colour.
What is the Difference Between Lyman and Balmer Series?
Lyman and Balmer series are hydrogen spectral line series that arise from hydrogen emission spectra. The key difference between Lyman and Balmer series is that Lyman series forms when an excited electron reaches the n=1 energy level whereas Balmer series forms when an excited electron reaches the n=2 energy level. Some lines of blamer series are in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum. But, Lyman series is in the UV wavelength range.
Lyman series and Balmer series were named after the scientists who found them. The physicist Theodore Lyman found the Lyman series while Johann Balmer found the Balmer series. When naming the lines of the spectra, we use a Greek letter. For the lines in the Lyman series, the names are as Lyman alpha, Lyman beta and so on whereas for the lines in the Balmer series the names are as H-alpha, H-beta, etc.
Below infographic summarizes the difference between Lyman and Balmer series.
Summary – Lyman vs Balmer Series
Lyman and Balmer series are hydrogen spectral line series that arises from hydrogen emission spectra. The key difference between Lyman and Balmer series is that Lyman series forms when an excited electron reaches the n=1 energy level, whereas the Balmer series forms when an excited electron reaches the n=2 energy level. The physicist Theodore Lyman discovered the Lyman series while Johann Balmer discovered the Balmer series.