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Started by Edwin Schweber
Wed, 01 Mar 1995 04:59
Re: Why does a solid have a continuous spectrum?
Author: Edwin Schweber
Date: Wed, 01 Mar 1995 04:59
Date: Wed, 01 Mar 1995 04:59
23 lines
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1694 bytes
On Tue, 28 Feb 1995, Peter Schmurr wrote: > Individual atoms of an element exhibit a bright line emission spectrum. > Why is it that a solid sample of the same substance does not? ...................................................................... James C Kernohan replied: : This continuous spectrum is created by the thermal energy of the : atoms/molecules in a substance. Because the atoms have a temperature : above absolute zero, they all have a random velocity. The higher the : temperature, the higher the average kinetic energy. But note that one : can only dicuss the average kinetic energy, there is a range of : values. Since the atoms can have almost any KE and thus vibrational : frequency, they can give off almost any (and indeed every) frequency : of radiation. ....................................................................... But if the continuous spectrum is simply the result of a doppler shift, would this not also occur with gasses? Ed Schweber e-mail: EdSchweb@ix.netcom.com
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