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Astronomy Ch.4

Terms in this set (10)

What is spectroscopy?
An analysis of the way in which atoms absorb and emit light
Which of these is emitted from an atom when one of its electrons makes a transition from a higher to lower energy state?
Photon
Why are molecular lines more complex than elemental spectral lines?
Molecules can vibrate and rotate as well
The broadening of spectral lines can be caused by
Thermal motion of the hot atoms, density of the hot medium, rotation of the star, magnetic fields of the star
Typical stellar spectra appear as
a rainbow, but with some dark lines mixed in
An incandescent light (glowing tungsten filament) produces
a continuous spectrum, with the frequency of peak emission corresponding to the temperature of the filament
Spectral lines are often referred to as the stars' "fingerprints" because
both can be easily categorized, both are characteristics of the individual lines that make a pattern, fingerprints also consist of individual lines that make a pattern, both are unique to their source
The wavelengths of the emission lines produced by an element are
identical to its absorption lines
Analyzing a star's spectral lines can tell us about all of these except
its transverse (side to side) motion
The Orion Nebula is a hot thin cloud of glowing gas, so its spectrum appears as a
small number of bright, colored lines on a dark background
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