page_title: Sharp series
section_title: Sodium
hierarchical_section_title: Sharp series / Sodium
caption_attribution_description: English: Atomic transitions in the Bohr model of the sodium atom Deutsch: Energiezustände und erlaubte Übergänge im Natriumatom
context_page_description: The sharp series is a series of spectral lines in the atomic emission spectrum caused when electrons jump between the lowest p orbital and s orbitals of an atom. The spectral lines include some in the visible light, and they extend into ultraviolet. The lines get closer and closer together as the frequency increases never exceeding the series limit. The sharp series was important in the development of the understanding of electron shells and subshells in atoms. The sharp series has given the letter s to the s atomic orbital or subshell.
  The sharp series has a limit given by
  The series is caused by transitions from the lowest P state to higher energy S orbitals.
  One terminology to identify the lines is: 1P-mS But note that 1P just means the lowest P state in an atom and that the modern designation would start at 2P, and is larger for higher atomic numbered atoms.
  The terms can have different designations, mS for single line systems, mσ for doublets and ms for triplets.
  Since the P state is not the lowest energy level for the alkali atom the sharp series will not show up as absorption in a cool gas, however it shows up as emission lines.
context_section_description: The sharp series has wave numbers given by:
  The sodium diffuse series has wave numbers given by:
  when n tends to infinity the diffuse and sharp series end up with the same limit.
caption: Grotrian diagram for sodium.  Sharp series is due to 3p-mS transitions shown here in purple.
exif: {}