The Zeeman effect is the splitting of a spectral line into multiple components in the presence of a magnetic field. This phenomenon is due to the interaction between the magnetic field and the magnetic moment associated with the angular momentum of electrons.
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The Zeeman effect was discovered by Pieter Zeeman in 1896.
There are two types of Zeeman effect: normal and anomalous, based on whether or not spin contributes to the splitting.
In the normal Zeeman effect, spectral lines split into three components, while in the anomalous Zeeman effect, more complex patterns can emerge due to electron spin.
The magnitude of splitting in the Zeeman effect is proportional to both the strength of the magnetic field and the Landé g-factor.
$\Delta E = m_l \mu_B B$ describes how energy levels shift in a magnetic field, where $\Delta E$ is energy change, $m_l$ is the magnetic quantum number, $\mu_B$ is Bohr magneton, and $B$ is magnetic field strength.
Review Questions
What causes the splitting of spectral lines in the Zeeman effect?
How do normal and anomalous Zeeman effects differ?
What factors influence the magnitude of spectral line splitting in a magnetic field?
Related terms
Spectral Line: A dark or bright line in an otherwise uniform and continuous spectrum, resulting from emission or absorption of light at specific wavelengths.
Magnetic Quantum Number ($m_l$): $m_l$ specifies an electron's orientation within a subshell and can take on values from $-l$ to $+l$, where $l$ is the azimuthal quantum number.
Landé g-factor: A factor that quantifies the contribution of an electron's spin and orbital angular momentum to its total magnetic moment.