Rydberg atom

noun

Any atom which has a single valence electron in a shell well outside any other electrons in the aton; approximates the hydrogen atom.

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Meanings

nounRydberg atom (plural Rydberg atoms)

plural Rydberg atoms

  1. chemistryAny atom which has a single valence electron in a shell well outside any other electrons in the aton; approximates the hydrogen atom.

Origin

From Johannes Rydberg, Swedish physicist.

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Cite this entry
APA

Rydberg atom. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Rydberg%20atom

MLA

“Rydberg atom.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Rydberg%20atom. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Rydberg atom,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Rydberg%20atom.

Source: Rydberg atom on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.