- #1
Mr Boom
- 30
- 0
So the term symbol for the nitrogen atom is 4S3/2
This means L=0, S=3/2, hence J=3/2. My question is that if S=3/2 than this is a quartet, meaning there are four levels, yet I only ever see one state listed on energy diagrams? What gives? Obviously, I'm still trying to learn term symbols Are there four levels and all of the atoms assume the lowers level? So you can't do absorption, for example, on the three higher levels because they won't be populated?
This means L=0, S=3/2, hence J=3/2. My question is that if S=3/2 than this is a quartet, meaning there are four levels, yet I only ever see one state listed on energy diagrams? What gives? Obviously, I'm still trying to learn term symbols Are there four levels and all of the atoms assume the lowers level? So you can't do absorption, for example, on the three higher levels because they won't be populated?