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.Earth Part 1: Behaviors of Light
Investigate. This diagram shows 4 light paths that are associated with different behaviors of light in the context of the Earth-Sun system. Consider each of the 4 light paths and use the information to complete the Table in your Notebook.
Spectrum Notebook. Complete the Table in your Notebook with the following information:
- Match the letter of the light paths with the type of spectrum (emission, transmission, absorption, or reflection).
- Identify the source of the photons in each case.
- Describe the path of the photons and identify what they 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.
