Hydrogen-like Ion Transitions

Pick an ion and two Bohr orbits. See the electron jump, the energy released or absorbed, and the colour of the photon.

Ion Initial orbit n₁ (1 to 7) Final orbit n₂ (1 to 7)

Try:

Solid dot: electron before the jump. Dashed ring: where it lands. Wavy line: the photon. Levels on the right are spaced to scale by energy (Eₙ ∝ 1/n²), so the upper ones crowd together; thin leader lines connect them to their labels.

E(n₁)

E(n₂)

ΔE

Energy in joules

Wavelength

Frequency

380 nm violet750 nm red

Eₙ = −13.6 Z² / n² eV · ΔE = E(n₂) − E(n₁) · λ = 1239.84 / |ΔE| nm. Negative ΔE means a photon is emitted, positive means one is absorbed. Colours are approximate on screen.