Question

In your own words, explain how the emission spectra for hydrogen and helium are similar and different from each other. (Please focus more on the similarities)

Answer 1

The emission spectra for hydrogen and helium are similar and different from each other because emission spectra were the result of electrons 'jumping' from one energy level to the next - since hydrogen and helium both have electrons on n=1, l=0

but Hydrogen has a nuclear charge of +1, and helium has a nuclear charge of +2. So although each has one electron the spectra are not the same.

However, for higher atoms such as helium, where there are more than one electron, the Schrödinger equation contains two terms for the two nucleus-electron attractions and a term for the electron-electron repulsion. The term for the electron-electron repulsion makes things difficult because both electrons can be moved. That term makes the equation impossible to solve analytically.