What does continuous spectrum mean?

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.

What is continuous & discontinuous spectrum?

selected Dec 16, 2020 by Panna01. (i) Continuous Spectrum – An emission spectrum that consists of a continuum of wavelengths. Discontinuous Spectrum – It is defined as a spectrum between a range of wave lengths that contains breaks or gaps in terms of wavelengths.

How do you make a continuous spectrum?

A beam of perfectly white light, like you would get under certain laboratory conditions, contains this kind of spectrum. You can create a continuous spectrum by heating up a material until it glows. But as we will find out, most light – even the light from the sun – does not contain a continuous spectrum!

Why do solids give continuous spectra?

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’s the difference between a line spectrum and a continuous spectrum?

The key difference between continuous spectrum and line spectrum is that the continuous spectrum contains all the wavelengths in a given range whereas the line spectrum contains only a few wavelengths.

What is a continuous spectrum give an example?

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 causes 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.

Which is an example of continuous spectra?

A rainbow is an occurrence of a continuous spectrum. Rainbows happen when sunlight passes into raindrops and reflects off the back of them. As the light exits the raindrop, it is refracted at different angles according to its wavelength.

What are the two sources of continuous spectra that will be used?

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.

Why is line spectrum not continuous?

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. Each packet of energy corresponds to a line in the atomic spectrum. There is nothing between each line, so the spectrum is discontinuous.