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 3: Emission Spectrum
Spectrum Tool. Compare Earth's emission spectrum with comparison spectra of different molecules.
- Under Source 1, select "Earth Emission." Adjust the wavelength stretch as needed to bring the spectrum into view.
- Under Source 2, select the spectra for different comparison molecules.
- Compare absorption line features between Earth's emission spectrum and the molecules to identify at least two matches. (For each molecule, you may need to make an identification based on only one line.)
Spectrum Notebook. Answer these questions in your Notebook.
- What aspect of the Sun-Earth system (shown in the diagram from Part 1) is causing the absorption in Earth’s emission spectrum?
- Identify at least two molecules in the absorption features of Earth’s emission spectrum.
Brightness 