Line Spectra

Our goal for this next unit is to find out exactly where those electrons are within an atom. We know that energy comes in a variety of forms, one of which is light, and that light can behave as a wave or as a particle known as a photon. We have also seen two ways that matter responds to an input of energy. One is the observation of blackbody radiation. When energy is applied in the form of heat, the sample responds by emitting light in the visible spectrum. Similarly, for the photoelectric effect, we see electrons released when electromagnetic radiation of a minimum frequency is applied. There is actually an entire field known as spectroscopy that studies how light interacts with matter. In this lesson, we will look closely at how individual atoms respond to energy and learn what that response can tell me about an atom's structure. This is known as atomic spectroscopy (the study of how electromagnetic radiation is absorbed or emitted by atoms).

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