What are two sources of continuous spectra?

Most continuous spectra are from hot, dense objects like stars, planets, or moons. The continuous spectrum from these kinds of objects is also called a thermal spectrum, because hot, dense objects will emit electromagnetic radiation at all wavelengths or colors.

What types of light sources do continuous spectra come from?

Typical examples of continuous radiation spectra are direct and diffuse sunlight and light emitted by incandescent bulbs. On the other hand, in a band spectrum there are gaps separating individual regions of radiation. If a spectrum has a number of lines of monochromatic intensity, it is called a line spectrum.

What is an example of something that releases a continuous spectrum?

Continuous Spectrum. A rainbow is an example of a continuous spectrum. Here, the colors displayed are within the visible spectrum (between 380-760 nm). Light in this wavelength range is visible to the naked eye.

What do you mean by continuous spectrum?

Definition of continuous spectrum : a spectrum (as of light emitted by a white-hot lamp filament) having no apparent breaks or gaps throughout its wavelength range.

How do you know if a light source is continuous or discrete?

Typically one can observe two distinctive classes of spectra: continous and discrete. For a continuous spectrum, the light is composed of a wide, continuous range of colors (energies). With discrete spectra, one sees only bright or dark lines at very distinct and sharply-defined colors (energies).

How do you know if a light source is continuous?

Density determines whether the spectrum is a line spectrum (low density) or a continuous spectrum (high density). Some examples: An incandescent light bulb produces a continuous spectrum because the source of the light is a metal filament (wire).

Is street light continuous spectrum?

What it shows: Unlike the continuous spectrum emitted by blackbody radiators, the light given off by atoms in a gaseous discharge is characterized by its discreet nature. Using street lamps for the light sources, bright atomic spectra of mercury or sodium are projected onto a screen.

What is the source of a line spectrum?

stars and stellar spectra Spectral lines are produced by transitions of electrons within atoms or ions. As the electrons move closer to or farther from the nucleus of an atom (or of an ion), energy in the form of light (or other radiation) is emitted or absorbed.…

Which spectrum is continuous?

The solar spectrum consists of a bright coloured continuous spectrum interspersed with dark lines.

Why do solids emit a continuous spectrum?

In solids atoms are not free but they are packed so tightly that their orbits overlap with each other. The energy changes in a particular atom are impacted by the other atoms in the surrounding. The impact is the radiations of all wavelengths are emitted. Therefore, solids give rise to continuous spectra.

What is continuous spectrum and line spectrum?

Continuous spectrum is a spectrum having all the wavelengths within a given limit whereas line spectrum is a spectrum having some lines of wavelengths within a given limit. Thus, continuous spectrum and line spectrum differ from each other according to the presence or absence of lines in the spectrum.

What is a continuous spectrum and an emission spectrum?

Explanation: Continuous spectrum: a spectrum that has all wavelengths with no gaps over a wide range. Emission spectrum: when an electron in an excited state moves to a lower energy level, it emits a certain amount of energy as photons.