spectroscopy
the study of the absorption and emission of light and other radiation by matter
spectroscope
a device that measures the spectrum of light, and splits light into component colors
emission lines
individual bright lines emitted by particular atoms; can be used to identify atoms
emission spectrum
can be used to identify elements, such as helium and neon
absorption spectrum
a spectrum where atoms of a cool gas will absorb the same frequencies they emit if a continuous spectrum passes through it
Kirchhoff’s Laws
state that a luminous solid, liquid, or dense gas produces the continuous spectrum, a low-density hot gas produces the emission spectrum, and the continuous spectrum incident on a cool, thin gas produces the absorption spectrum
spectral line analysis
the most information that can be gleaned from spectral lines: chemical composition, temperature, and velocity (indicates a red or blue shift)