Line Spectra
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Line Spectra
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The spontaneous emission of electromagnetic
radiation from the bound electrons
as they jump from high to low energy levels in an atom.
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This radiation is essentially at a single frequency determined
by the jump in energy. Each different jump in energy level, therefore,
has its own frequency and the net radiation is referred to as
the line spectra. Since these line spectra are characteristic
of the atom, they can be used for identification purposes.
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References
This article is based on NASA's Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use