Ritz combination principle

[ rits ]

/ rɪts /

noun Physics.

the principle that the frequencies of lines in atomic spectra can be represented as differences of a smaller number of terms, all characteristic of the emitting system, interpreted in quantum theory as the emission of exactly one photon in a transition between energy levels.

Origin of Ritz combination principle

after Walther Ritz (1878–1909), Swiss physicist, who formulated it

Also called combination principle.