What conditions produce a continuous spectrum?

Continuous spectra (also called thermal or blackbody spectra) arise from dense gases or solid objects which radiate heat. They emit radiation over a broad range of wavelengths, thus the spectra appear smooth and continuous.

Do elements produce continuous spectrum?

Quick answer: Atomic spectra are continuous because the energy levels of electrons in atoms are quantized. The electrons in an atom can have only certain energy levels. There is no middle ground. There is nothing between each line, so the spectrum is discontinuous.

Why do metals have a line spectrum?

All elements (including metals) produce an emission spectrum because energy can only come in discrete quantities. When you provide energy to an atom from an element (say, by heating), some of that energy is used up to excite the electrons within the atom.

Why is it impossible to get a continuous spectrum?

As far as we know, no object in the universe sends out waves across the whole of the electromagnetic spectrum, so finding a continuous spectrum spanning the whole of the electromagnetic spectrum would be impossible.

Does sunlight produce continuous spectrum?

The spectrum of the Sun appears as a continuous spectrum and is frequently represented as shown below. This type of spectrum is called an emission spectrum because what you are seeing is the direct radiation emitted by the source.

Why do all elements not have the same spectral lines?

Different elements radiate at different frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum because their electron shells set them apart from all other elements and photons are emitted from an electron when it makes a transition from a higher to a lower energy state.

Why is the electromagnetic spectrum continuous?

Because electromagnetic waves or photons differ from each other by a continuous parameter, wavelenght, frequency or photon energy. In this sense, of a range of possible values of wavelenght, frequency and photon energy, the spectrum is “potentially” continuous.

Why atomic spectra are not continuous?

Atomic spectra are discontinuous because the energy levels of electrons in atoms are quantized. The electrons in an atom can have only certain energy levels. There is no middle ground. If an electron is excited to a new energy level, it jumps to that level instantaneously.

Is fluorescent light continuous spectrum?

The incandescent light gives a continuous spectrum, while the fluorescent light gives discrete lines typical of the mercury spectrum and the phosphor.

Which of the following does not produce a continuous spectrum?

Only laser LEDs are coherent light sources. Any light source that does not produce a continuous spectrum produces monochromatic light. A light source may emit several wavelengths from different parts of the visible light spectrum and therefore be neither continuous nor monochromatic.