Spectroscopic notation — UPSC Physics Optional CSE 1998 Paper II

The atomic number of Na is 11. (i) Write down the electronic configuration for the ground state of the Na atoms (ii) Give the standard spectroscopic notation for the ground state. (iii) The lowest frequency in the absorption spectrum of Na is a doublet. What are the spectroscopic designations of the pair of energy levels to which the atom is excited as a result of this absorption process? (iv) What is the mechanism responsible for the splitting between the pairs of energy levels? (v) Does the level corresponding to the higher value of j lie lower or higher?