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The s, p, d, f designations offered below are correct. The "sharp" a=
nd "diffuse" were used because that is the way the spectral lines in =
the series looked. After f, the letters are alphabetical -- got hard=
to figure out meaningful new names.
The numbers associated with the letters are, of course, appropriate q=
uantum numbers. Most texts on atomic spectroscopy have good summary =
descriptions of the scheme.
Cheers,
Rick Swanson
Richard E. Swanson, Ph.D.
Dean of Instruction
Physics Professor
Sandhills Community College, Pinehurst, NC 28374
swansonr@sandhills.edu (910) 695-3715
carl preske wrote:jsd@AV8N.COM 06/04/04 03:31AM >>>
A question came up on another list serve and the writer would like =to
know why the energy levels are lettered. I know why the numbers ar=e
used for hydrogen but who set up the lettering scheme.
s,p,d,f stand for sharp, principal, diffuse, fundamental.
The names (and abbreviations) come from the earliest work
in spectroscopy -- any effort to sort out the various
spectral lines, long before there was any understanding
of atomic structure.
http://www.google.com/search?q=3Dsharp+principal+diffuse=20
http://w3.msi.vxu.se/~pku/Rydberg/LifeWork.html