If you were to look at the spectrum of the gas flame of a...

Name: Problem 2, Chapter 24: Pathways to Astronomy
Uploaded: 2022-02-23T04:04:50-08:00
Duration: 2 min 53 s
Channel: Susan Hallstrom
Description: If you were to look at the spectrum of the gas flame of a stove or the blue part of a Bunsen burner flame, what sort of spectrum would you expect to see: absorption, emission, or continuous? Why?

If you were to look at the spectrum of the gas flame of a stove or the blue part of a Bunsen burner flame, what sort of spectrum would you expect to see: absorption, emission, or continuous? Why?

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Key Concepts

Emission Spectrum

An emission spectrum is produced when atoms or molecules in a substance are excited, such as by the heat in a flame, and then emit light as they return to lower energy states. This light is released at specific wavelengths characteristic of the elements or compounds present, resulting in distinct bright lines or bands against a dark background.

Absorption Spectrum

An absorption spectrum occurs when light passes through a cooler gas and certain wavelengths are absorbed by the atoms or molecules, leaving dark lines in the otherwise continuous spectrum. This process is counter to what happens in a flame where the gas is excited and emits light, rather than absorbing it.

Continuous Spectrum

A continuous spectrum is characterized by a seamless distribution of colors or wavelengths without distinct lines, commonly produced by hot, dense objects that emit black-body radiation. However, in gas flames, the low density of the emitting gas leads to discrete emission lines rather than a continuous spread of wavelengths.

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