Chemical Spectral Lines
A spectral line is like a fingerprint that can be used to identify the atoms, elements or molecules present in a star, galaxy or cloud of interstellar gas. If we separate the incoming light from a celestial source using a prism, we will often see a spectrum of colours crossed with discrete lines. Note that spectral lines can also occur in other regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, although we can no longer use a prism to help identify them.
There are two types of spectral lines in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum:
There are two types of spectral lines in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum:
- Emission lines – these appear as discrete coloured lines, often on a black background, and correspond to specific wavelengths of light emitted by an object.
- Absorption lines – these appear as dark bands, often superimposed on a coloured continuum, and are the result of specific wavelengths being absorbed along the line-of-sight.
Periodic Table of the Spectral Lines
More spectral lines will follow soon!
Sources:
http://sciencenotes.org/periodic-table-element-cells/
http://chemistry.bd.psu.edu/jircitano/periodic4.html
Copyright by Dr. Alan J. Jircitano, all Copyright belongs to him. For educational purposes only.
http://sciencenotes.org/periodic-table-element-cells/
http://chemistry.bd.psu.edu/jircitano/periodic4.html
Copyright by Dr. Alan J. Jircitano, all Copyright belongs to him. For educational purposes only.