Which state does an atom transition to during the Lyman series?

In the context of atomic transitions, particularly when dealing with the hydrogen atom, the Lyman series refers to the series of spectral lines resulting from transitions of electrons from excited states down to the ground state. The ground state is the lowest energy level of the electron in an atom, where it is most stable and has the least energy.

When an electron in a hydrogen atom transitions from a higher energy level (an excited state) back to the ground state, it emits a photon of a specific wavelength, which corresponds to the energy difference between these two states. The Lyman series specifically involves transitions where the final state for the electron is the n=1 energy level, which is the ground state.

This is why the correct answer is that during the Lyman series, an atom transitions to the ground state. The other states mentioned, such as excited or ionized states, do not accurately describe the transitions involved in the Lyman series, which are specifically toward the most stable configuration of the atom.