Why do different metals glow with different colors if all solids have the same emission spectrum? According to my teacher, all solids have the same emission spectrum at the same temperature due to atoms being really close to each other. If this holds true, then why do different metals glow with different colours when warmed up?
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$\begingroup$ the answer here is relevant physics.stackexchange.com/questions/205855/… $\endgroup$– anna vCommented Jan 17, 2023 at 6:21
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$\begingroup$ and this physics.stackexchange.com/questions/304299/… $\endgroup$– anna vCommented Jan 17, 2023 at 6:24
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$\begingroup$ and this physics.stackexchange.com/questions/331899/… $\endgroup$– anna vCommented Jan 17, 2023 at 6:57
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2 Answers
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All materials do not have the same emission spectrum. This is only true when the metal samples are hot enough to glow with heat. at room temperature, there is no glow in visible light and the light coming off an object is reflected light from somewhere else.
Depending on the details of the electron shell structure surrounding a metal atom, there will be some wavelengths of incident light which are absorbed instead of being reflected and the resulting reflected light will be missing some wavelengths. This is why gold appears yellow, copper is orange, nickel is slightly yellowish, and so on.
answered Jan 17, 2023 at 4:52
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The reason different metals glow with different colors is because each metal has a unique electron configuration and different energy levels, which affect the way the electrons absorb and emit energy.
When heated, the electrons in the metal absorb energy and move to higher energy levels. As they relax back to their original energy levels, they emit energy in the form of light. The wavelength of the light emitted is dependent on the metal's unique energy levels, which is why different metals glow with different colors.
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1$\begingroup$ I see. But when solids are heated they emit all wavelengths of light dependent on temperature. To my understanding, excitation on an atomic level independent of vibrational and rotational energy is specific for atoms in a gass. $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 16, 2023 at 20:21
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$\begingroup$ Your answer could be improved with additional supporting information. Please edit to add further details, such as citations or documentation, so that others can confirm that your answer is correct. You can find more information on how to write good answers in the help center. $\endgroup$– Community BotCommented Jan 16, 2023 at 20:21