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        • 3.1.3 Interference
        • 3.1.4 Inverse Square Law
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        • 3.3.1 Light - a history
        • 3.3.2 Double Slit Diffraction
        • 3.3.3 Light - its speed
        • 3.3.4 Light as EMR
        • 3.3.5 Polarisation
        • 3.3.6 Spectroscopy
        • 3.3.7 Scattering
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        • 6.3.1 What is Radioactivity
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        • 6.4.1 Planck and the Blackbody
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      • 7.1 Olber's Paradox
      • 7.2 Stellar Spectroscopy
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Spectroscopy

PREVIOUS LESSON                                                                                                                       NEXT LESSON
What would you see if you spread the light out from the sun into its various wavelengths?

You might think what we see is this
Picture
What we actually get is more like this
Picture
The characteristic lines of missing wavelengths actually tell something about the chemical composition of the Sun's surface. 
In the late 1600's Sir Isaac Newton was able to show that white light is made up of a number of colours, due to  the dispersion of light through a prism. 
This eventually lead to a deeper understanding of light - that light could be analysed if you could spread it out into its different wavelengths, whether through the dispersion or diffraction, allowed us learn more about the object in emitting that light.


​This video examine what 
spectroscopy is, including absorption and emission spectroscopy and includes a demonstration at the University of Sydney.

Check your understanding

 
Going Deeper
The question of course is why these lines occur - what are the underlying physics principles?

It was Rydberg and Balmer that were able to identify a mathematical model to the values of the wavelengths that are absorbed or emitted but that still did not provide an full explanation.
It was Niels Bohr that gave us an atomic model that explained these lines, as well as the mathematical models that Rydberg and Balmer discovered. You can learn more at this lesson.

Applications
One of the many applications of spectroscopy is the analysis of astronomical information. Go to this lesson to find out more
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  • Home
  • Lessons
    • 1 Foundations >
      • 1.1 Dimensions and units
      • 1.2 Mathematic skills
      • 1.3 Graphing
      • 1.4 Vectors
      • 1.5 Vectors in 3D
    • 2 Mechanics >
      • 2.1 Kinematics 1D >
        • 2.1.1 Kinematics Intro
        • 2.1.2 Acceleration
        • 2.1.3 Graphing Motion
        • 2.1.4 Equations of Motion
      • 2.2 Kinematics 2D >
        • 2.2.1 Relative Motion
        • 2.2.2 Projectile Motion
      • 2.3 Forces >
        • 2.3.1 Newton's Laws
        • 2.3.2 forces in equilibrium
        • 2.3.3 Normal
        • 2.3.4 Friction
        • 2.3.5 Forces and Pulleys
      • 2.4 Momentum and Energy >
        • 2.4.1 Momentum
        • 2.4.2 Energy
      • 2.5 Rotational Mechanics >
        • 2.5.1 Circular Motion
        • 2.5.2 Angular Velocity
        • 2.5.3 Circular applications
        • 2.5.4 Moment of Inertia
        • 2.5.5 Torque
      • 2.6 Gravity >
        • 2.6.1 Gravitation
        • 2.6.2 Orbital Motion
        • 2.6.3 Kepler's Laws
        • 2.6.4 Gravitation and Energy
    • 3 Waves and Optics >
      • 3.1 Wave Phenomena >
        • 3.1.1 Wave Types
        • 3.1.2 Superposition
        • 3.1.3 Interference
        • 3.1.4 Inverse Square Law
        • 3.1.5 Modulation
      • 3.2 Sound >
        • 3.2.1 Beats
        • 3.2.2 Doppler
        • 3.2.3 Resonance
        • 3.2.4 Standing Waves
      • 3.3 Physical Optics >
        • 3.3.1 Light - a history
        • 3.3.2 Double Slit Diffraction
        • 3.3.3 Light - its speed
        • 3.3.4 Light as EMR
        • 3.3.5 Polarisation
        • 3.3.6 Spectroscopy
        • 3.3.7 Scattering
      • 3.4 Geometric Optics >
        • 3.4.1 Reflection
        • 3.4.2 Refraction
        • 3.4.3 Lenses and Images
        • 3.4.4 Dispersion
    • 4 Thermodynamics >
      • 4.1 Heat and Temperature
      • 4.2 Specific Heat Capacity
      • 4.3 Latent Heat
      • 4.4 Blackbody Radiation
    • 5 Electricity and Magnetism >
      • 5.1 Electrostatics >
        • 5.1.1 Charge
        • 5.1.2 Coulomb's Law
        • 5.1.3 Electric Field
        • 5.1.4 Voltage
      • 5.2 Circuits >
        • 5.2.1 Ohm's Law
        • 5.2.2 Series and Parallel Circuits
        • 5.2.3 Electrical Power
      • 5.3 Electromagnetism >
        • 5.3.1 Moving Charges in Electric Fields
        • 5.3.2 Ampere's Law
        • 5.3.3 Charge in Magnetic Fields
        • 5.3.4 Motor Effect
        • 5.3.5 DC Motor
      • 5.4 Electromagnetic Induction >
        • 5.4.1 Magnetic Flux
        • 5.4.2 Faraday's Law
        • 5.4.3 Lenz' Law
        • 5.4.4 Back EMF
        • 5.4.5 Generators
        • 5.4.6 Transformers
        • 5.4.7 Induction Motors
    • 6 Modern Physics >
      • 6.1 Relativity >
        • 6.1.1 Michelson Morley Experiment
        • 6.1.2 Special Relativity
        • 6.1.3 Special Relativity Evidence
      • 6.2 Atomic Physics >
        • 6.2.1 JJ Thomson and the electron
        • 6.2.2 Millikan
        • 6.2.3 Rutherford
        • 6.2.4 Chadwick
      • 6.3 Radioactivity >
        • 6.3.1 What is Radioactivity
        • 6.3.2 Half Life
        • 6.3.3 Binding Energy
        • 6.3.4 Strong Nuclear Force
        • 6.3.5 Fission
        • 6.3.6 Fusion
      • 6.4 Quantum Physics >
        • 6.4.1 Planck and the Blackbody
        • 6.4.2 Photoelectric Effect
        • 6.4.3 Bohr Model
        • 6.4.4 de Broglie and Matter Waves
        • 6.4.5 Compton Effect
        • 6.4.6 Schrödinger Equation
        • 6.4.7 Heisenberg
        • 6.4.8 Lasers
      • 6.4 Particle Physics
      • 6.5 Solid State Physics
    • 7 Astrophysics >
      • 7.1 Olber's Paradox
      • 7.2 Stellar Spectroscopy
      • 7.3 Determining Stellar Distances
      • 7.4 Star Magnitude
      • 7.5 Star Temperature
      • 7..6 HR Diagram
    • 8 Medical Physics >
      • 8.1 Ultrasound
      • 8.2 X-ray
      • 8.3 PET scans
      • 8.4 MRI
  • curriculum specific
    • NSW >
      • NSW curriculum >
        • Year 11
        • Year 12
      • HSC question per Module
      • HSC Exam review >
        • Downloads/notes
    • QLD curriculum
    • IB curriculum
    • SAT curriculum
    • AP Physics 1&2 curriculum
  • Resources
    • Review videos
    • Shorts
    • Formula Sheet
    • tools >
      • Calculator
      • Oscilloscope
    • data sheet
    • for students >
      • recommended physics sites
      • Review and Tips
    • for teachers
    • Blogs >
      • Podcasts
      • PhysicsHigh blog
    • About >
      • Who am I
      • FAQ
      • Fun
      • Contact