Light Spectra Flashcards
continuous spectrum
produced when white light passed through prism
different colors merge smoothly into one another
unbroken sequence of frequencies
shorter wavelength
higher energy
absorption spectrum
shows radiation absorbed as atoms move from lower to higher energy level
emission spectrum
produced by photons emitted from atoms as excited electron returns to lower level
line spectrum
has only certain frequencies as it is produced by atoms as fall bakc to lower energy level
emission spectra identity
unique to each element
electrons moves closer to nucleus
energy emitted
What is given out when an electron falls from a higher to a lower energy level?
radiation given out which corresponds to a line in emission spectrum
What do the spectrum lines do at higher energy levels?
energy levels inside atoms closer together at higher energy
n=infinity
electron no longer in atom
atom ionized
ionization energy
energy required to remove an electron from a mole of gaseous atoms
return to n=1
ultaviolet light (high energy)
return to n=2
visible light
return to n=3
infrared light (low energy)
What do the discrete lines in an emission spectrum show?
that any frequency in between is not possible
