How can spectra tell us what things are made of?
Stars and planets are too far away for a human to touch, yet we know what they are made of. Spectra make this possible! Let’s investigate how.What can we know about Earth from its spectra? Part 1
Investigate. This diagram shows 4 light paths that are associated with different behaviors of light in the context of the Earth-Sun system. Use the diagram to complete the following tasks.
- Match the letter of the light paths with the type of spectrum.
- Identify the source of the photons in each case.
- Identify what the photons are interacting with in each case.
Note: One row of the table in your Spectrum Notebook is pre-filled as an example of what to do.
Spectrum Notebook. Write your answers in Part 1 of the What can we know about Earth from its spectra? section.
