Zeeman effect

1. Zeeman effect : also called as the broadening or splitting of spectral lines into several components as an atom is placed in the uniform magnetic field..Figure 1 and 2

 

Figure 1

 Figure 2

a.Spectral line - Spectral lines are the result of interaction between a quantum system (usually atoms, but sometimes molecules or atomic nuclei) with a single photon. 

b. When a photon is being absorbed and has sufficient  amount of energy to change the energy state of the electron to change its orbitals,then the electron will be spontaneously re-emitted the energy in the spectral line forms. 

c.The energies emitted by an electron will be equal to the energy it absorbed. 

d.The electron will emits either : 

i.Emission line – it  is the electromagnetic radiation spectrum with certain frequencies  that  emitted by the electron as they are returned to a lower energy state.Further information,click here 

ii.Absorption line –it is formed when an electron makes a transition from a lower to a higher energy state, with a photon being absorbed in the process.  When the spectral lines are absorption lines, the effect is called Inverse Zeeman effect. 

2. As the Zeeman place an atom in a magnetic field, and he discovered that its spectral lines will split. For some atoms, spectral lines split in three under a magnetic field. This is known as the normal Zeeman effect. The normal Zeeman effect occur withot the spinning of electron,where S = 0.For some atoms, the spectrum displays a more complex pattern of splittings, known as the anomalous Zeeman effect. The anamolous Zeeman effect occur as the spin of the electron is considered.