answersLogoWhite

0

It's a line spectrum because of the quantization of energy- meaning you only see energy with levels n=1,2,3.... One would never see the energy level n=2.8 for instance- that would be the case if it were continuous rather than a line spectrum.

User Avatar

Wiki User

16y ago

What else can I help you with?

Continue Learning about Physics

Is an atomic emission spectrum a continuous range of colors?

No, an atomic emission spectrum is not a continuous range of colors. It consists of discrete lines of specific wavelengths corresponding to the emission of light from excited atoms when they return to lower energy levels. Each element has a unique atomic emission spectrum due to its unique arrangement of electrons.


Why cant light of 500 nm be given off from hydrogen?

Hydrogen, like all elements, have a characteristic distance between energy levels. The atom can only accept photons of energy that match that distance and then that light is emitted. 500 nm does not match the wavelength of light that matches the wavelength corresponding to the energy gap in hydrogen.


What is the difference between a continuous spectrum an a line spectrum?

Dispersion, the separation of visible light into a spectrum, may be accomplished by means of a prism or a diffraction grating. Each different wavelength or frequency of visible light corresponds to a different color, so that the spectrum appears as a band of colors ranging from violet at the short-wavelength (high-frequency) end of the spectrum through indigo, blue, green, yellow, and orange, to red at the long-wavelength (low-frequency) end of the spectrum. In addition to visible light, other types of electromagnetic radiation may be spread into a spectrum according to frequency or wavelength. The spectrum formed from white light contains all colors, or frequencies, and is known as a continuous spectrum. Continuous spectra are produced by all incandescent solids and liquids and by gases under high pressure. A gas under low pressure does not produce a continuous spectrum but instead produces a line spectrum, i.e., one composed of individual lines at specific frequencies characteristic of the gas, rather than a continuous band of all frequencies. If the gas is made incandescent by heat or an electric discharge, the resulting spectrum is a bright-line, or emission, spectrum, consisting of a series of bright lines against a dark background. A dark-line, or absorption, spectrum is the reverse of a bright-line spectrum; it is produced when white light containing all frequencies passes through a gas not hot enough to be incandescent. It consists of a series of dark lines superimposed on a continuous spectrum, each line corresponding to a frequency where a bright line would appear if the gas were incandescent. The Fraunhofer lines appearing in the spectrum of the sun are an example of a dark-line spectrum; they are caused by the absorption of certain frequencies of light by the cooler, outer layers of the solar atmosphere. Line spectra of either type are useful in chemical analysis, since they reveal the presence of particular elements. The instrument used for studying line spectra is the spectroscope.


Why do different elements have different line spectra and not a continuous spectrum of light?

Different elements have different line spectra because each has a unique arrangement of energy levels for its electrons. When electrons transition between these energy levels, they emit or absorb specific wavelengths of light, creating distinct lines in the spectrum. This results in discrete lines rather than a continuous spectrum.


Why the distances between the lines for the hydrogen spectrum decreases with the decrease in wavelength?

The distances between lines in the hydrogen spectrum decrease with decreasing wavelength because the energy levels in hydrogen are quantized, meaning they can only exist at certain discrete values. As the wavelength decreases, the energy difference between adjacent levels also decreases, resulting in lines being closer together in the spectrum.

Related Questions

Which element did Bohr study the line emission spectrum of?

Niels Bohr studied the emission lines of Hydrogen.


The spectrum produced by glowing high-density gas is an a bright line emission b dark line absorption c chemical composition d temperature c continuous?

a Edit: The question is very mixed up, but I think I get the idea. It's obviously an emission spectrum. Because it is a high density gas the spectrum should be CONTINUOUS.


Is an atomic emission spectrum a continuous range of colors?

No, an atomic emission spectrum is not a continuous range of colors. It consists of discrete lines of specific wavelengths corresponding to the emission of light from excited atoms when they return to lower energy levels. Each element has a unique atomic emission spectrum due to its unique arrangement of electrons.


Who created the hydrogen line emission spectrum?

The hydrogen line emission spectrum was discovered by physicists Johann Balmer, Johannes Rydberg, and Niels Bohr. They observed that hydrogen gas emitted specific wavelengths of light, which formed a distinct spectrum now known as the Balmer series.


What is the difference between a continuous spectrum and a line spectrum in terms of the emission of light?

A continuous spectrum shows a wide range of colors emitted by a hot, dense object, while a line spectrum displays only specific colors at distinct wavelengths emitted by atoms or molecules.


What is the difference between sunlight produced spectrum and hydrogen gas produced spectrum?

Sunlight produced spectrum is continuous and contains a broad range of wavelengths, while hydrogen gas produced spectrum consists of discrete lines at specific wavelengths due to the unique energy levels of hydrogen atoms. Sunlight spectrum is continuous due to the various processes that produce light, whereas hydrogen gas spectrum is a result of the energy levels of hydrogen atoms emitting photons of specific wavelengths.


Why does excited hydrogen atoms always produce the same line emission spectrum?

Excited hydrogen atoms produce the same line emission spectrum because they have specific energy levels associated with their electron transitions. When an electron falls from a higher energy level to a lower one, it emits a photon with a specific energy, corresponding to a specific wavelength of light. This results in the characteristic line emission spectrum of hydrogen.


Why is hydrogen emission useful in mapping the arms of the milky way?

Because hydrogen is the most common element in the universe and also it has a spectral emission line in the microwave radio part of the spectrum making it easier to track with a radio telescope.


Is the Hg emission spectrum continuous or discrete?

Hg emission is discrete, that's why you can only see certain (discrete) frequencies, as excited electrons fall from one level to another. A heated light bulb, on the other hand, emits a continuous spectrum from all of its variously vibrating charges.


Continuous spectrum with dark lines where light is absorbed?

dark-line spectrum...


What do Each of the colored lines in hydrogen's emission spectrum corresponds with?

Each colored line in hydrogen's emission spectrum corresponds to a specific transition of an electron between energy levels in the hydrogen atom. The wavelengths of these lines are unique to each transition, creating a distinct pattern that can be used to identify elements and their energy levels.


What are the two types of spectrum?

The two types of spectrum are continuous spectrum, which shows a continuous range of colors with no gaps, and line spectrum, which consists of distinct lines of color separated by gaps.