Sodium is a common element (in table salt!) and was one of the first to have its

Question

Sodium is a common element (in table salt!) and was one of the first to have its spectrum identified when salt was sprinkled into a flame. A closer inspection revealed that the characteristic yellow color was two spectral lines close to one another. The same two lines are seen in the Sun, where sodium absorbs continuous blackbody radiation from within the star. Why are there two lines? There are two isotopes of sodium, and their different masses alter the wavelengths emitted. The electron has spin, and in the atom that gives rise to two energy levels. The two lines are in different series. The atoms are at two different temperatures.

Explanation / Answer

ANSWER

THE ELECTRON HAS SPIN, AND IN THE ATOM THAT GIVES RISE TO TWO ENERGY LEVELS

REASON

the signal is due to the transition of energy from 3p to 3s, doublet shows the smaller dependence of the atomic energy levels on the total angular momentum. The 3p level is split into states with total angular momentum j=3/2 and j=1/2 by the magnetic energy of the electron spin in the presence of the internal magnetic field caused by the orbital motion which is called as the spin-orbit effect.

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