The first emission line in the hydrogen atom spectrum in the Balmer series will have a wave number ( — Atomic Structure Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

The first line of the Balmer series corresponds to the transition from $n=3$ to $n=2$. Wave number $\bar{\nu} = R \cdot (1/2^2 - 1/3^2) = R \cdot (1/4 - 1/9) = 5R/36$.