Skip to main content
Physics

Return to Question

Expanded title to explain the nature of the query
Link
edit approved Mar 26, 2019 at 8:21
Johnny
edit approved Mar 26, 2019 at 8:21
Johnny
  • 103
  • 3

Query about Why are stellar absorption line spectra passed through a cold gas?

Became Hot Network Question
added 99 characters in body
Source Link
Vishal Jain
Vishal Jain
  • 1.5k
  • 1
  • 14
  • 32

I am currently studying spectral lines and saw in my notes that the way in which the absorbtion line spectra for a star was measured was by taking its light and shining it through a cold gas. The remaining light would show a black body spectrum with dark lines at the wavelengths which correspond to an exact difference in energy levels between two orbitals for an electron.

My question is, isn't this sort of spectroscopy supposed to identify the elemental composition of the star? It seems to me this would identify what elements were in the cold gas instead.

Note: I am asking whether the measured absorption spectra represents the stars or the cold gas. If it measures the stars, why? Wouldn't changing the gas change the wavelengths at which electrons will make a transition?

I am currently studying spectral lines and saw in my notes that the way in which the absorbtion line spectra for a star was measured was by taking its light and shining it through a cold gas. The remaining light would show a black body spectrum with dark lines at the wavelengths which correspond to an exact difference in energy levels between two orbitals for an electron.

My question is, isn't this sort of spectroscopy supposed to identify the elemental composition of the star? It seems to me this would identify what elements were in the cold gas instead.

I am currently studying spectral lines and saw in my notes that the way in which the absorbtion line spectra for a star was measured was by taking its light and shining it through a cold gas. The remaining light would show a black body spectrum with dark lines at the wavelengths which correspond to an exact difference in energy levels between two orbitals for an electron.

My question is, isn't this sort of spectroscopy supposed to identify the elemental composition of the star? It seems to me this would identify what elements were in the cold gas instead.

Note: I am asking whether the measured absorption spectra represents the stars or the cold gas. If it measures the stars, why? Wouldn't changing the gas change the wavelengths at which electrons will make a transition?

Source Link
Vishal Jain
Vishal Jain
  • 1.5k
  • 1
  • 14
  • 32

Query about absorption line spectra

I am currently studying spectral lines and saw in my notes that the way in which the absorbtion line spectra for a star was measured was by taking its light and shining it through a cold gas. The remaining light would show a black body spectrum with dark lines at the wavelengths which correspond to an exact difference in energy levels between two orbitals for an electron.

My question is, isn't this sort of spectroscopy supposed to identify the elemental composition of the star? It seems to me this would identify what elements were in the cold gas instead.