You do understand the Hydrogen atom Stark effect and not the Rydberg atom? (I'm not sure what you need here)...Clara Chung said:
For n=7 and n=8 there will be n^2 eigenfunction... if the states that will be mix are the states that satisfy the selection rules... i.e. delta l=+-1 and delta m=0, there will be so many... not only the two eigenstates in the hydrogen atom...?hutchphd said:
He is talking about the n=9 Rydberg states only. Within this are the allowed states L=0,1,...,8 each with multiplicity 2L+1. Only the highest angular momentum states are "far enough away" from the "nucleus/inner electron complex" to be approximately degenerate. So we are down to L=7,8. So how will this subset be affected by perturbation?Clara Chung said:
If only L=7,8 are approximately degenerate... There are still many levels that can be mixed... Like l=7, ml=0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7 with l=8, ml=1,2,3,4,5,6,7...??hutchphd said:
Yes all those states (let's be precise ml=0, ±1,..., ±L for L=7,8). But what about the (mixing) matrix elements. Are some zero? Are some the same size? This is not an easy exercise...but it is good. Clearly some levels will still be degenerate.Clara Chung said:
How to know whether they have the same size? :(hutchphd said:
Thank you for your help.. This appears in an exam of an introductory course on atomic physics... I guess I will leave it...hutchphd said:
The Stark effect is a phenomenon in physics where the energy levels of atoms or molecules are shifted when placed in an external electric field. This effect was first discovered by Johannes Stark in 1913.
The Stark effect occurs due to the interaction between the electric field and the electric dipole moment of the atom or molecule. The electric field causes a separation of charge within the atom or molecule, resulting in a shift in energy levels.
The Stark effect has various applications in fields such as spectroscopy, laser technology, and quantum computing. It is used to study the energy levels and properties of atoms and molecules, as well as to control and manipulate their behavior.
The normal Stark effect refers to the energy level shifts that occur in atoms or molecules with a permanent electric dipole moment, while the anomalous Stark effect occurs in atoms or molecules with a temporary or induced electric dipole moment.
The Stark effect and the Zeeman effect are both examples of the broader phenomenon of electromagnetic interactions with atoms and molecules. While the Stark effect involves electric fields, the Zeeman effect involves magnetic fields. Both effects can cause shifts in energy levels and have various applications in physics and technology.