Question

When atoms in excited states collide with unexcited atoms they can transfer their excitation energy to those atoms. The most efficient energy transfer occurs when the excitation energy matches the energy matches the energy of an excited state in the unexcited atom. Assuming that we have a collection of excited hydrogen atoms in the excited state,are there any transitions of that could be most efficiently excited by the hydrogen atoms?

Answer 1

Solution:

The lowest energy state of hydrogen atom at n=1 is called its ground state. An excited hydrogen atom is unstable and tends to rearrange itself to return to its lowest energy state. During transitions from excited state to ground state, the electron of hydrogen atom emmitted light and each transitions corresponds to a particular wavelength.

Thus, if excited state contains sufficient hydrogen atoms, then only emission transition occurs more efficiently and more lines are observed due to higher number of excited atoms in excited states.