Physics:Quantum atoms/spectral line
spectral line is a Book II topic in the Quantum Collection. A spectral line is a discrete frequency or wavelength of light emitted or absorbed by an atom. It arises from a transition of an electron between different energy levels. Spectral lines are among the clearest experimental signs of quantization. Their frequencies encode differences between allowed energy levels, while their intensities and selection rules reveal transition probabilities, angular momentum, and coupling to radiation. Spectral lines are used to identify atoms, measure fields, test quantum electrodynamics, and study distant stars and galaxies.
Description
Each spectral line corresponds to a specific difference in energy between two energy levels. When an electron transitions to a lower level, a photon is emitted; when it moves to a higher level, a photon is absorbed.
The set of spectral lines forms an atomic spectrum, which is characteristic of each element.
Properties
- discrete wavelengths or frequencies
- determined by energy level differences
- produced by transitions
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Source attribution: Physics:Quantum atoms/spectral line
