🌈 Rydberg Equation Calculator
Calculate the wavelength of light emitted or absorbed when a hydrogen atom’s electron transitions between two energy levels, using the Rydberg equation.
1
2
What the Rydberg equation calculates
The Rydberg equation predicts the wavelength of light emitted or absorbed when an electron in a hydrogen atom transitions between two energy levels, explaining the discrete spectral lines observed in hydrogen’s emission and absorption spectra.
The formula
1/λ = R(1/n1² − 1/n2²), where R is the Rydberg constant (approximately 1.09677583 × 10⁵ m⁻¹), n1 and n2 are the two energy levels involved (n2 > n1 for emission, when an electron falls to a lower level; the reverse for absorption).
This is the standard Rydberg formula for the hydrogen atom, used for general physics and chemistry education.
Last reviewed August 2026