Atomic Spectra

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Patterns of light emitted or absorbed by atoms when they are excited, which can be used to identify elements and study their properties.

Quantum Mechanics: The fundamental theory that governs the behavior of atoms.
Energy Levels: The discrete energy states within an atom that electrons can occupy.
Electronic Configurations: The arrangement of electrons in atom's energy levels.
Spectroscopy: The study of the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter.
Electromagnetic Radiation: The form of energy that includes gamma rays, X-rays, and visible light.
Wavelength, Frequency, and Energy: Basic principles for understanding electromagnetic radiation.
Atomic Emission: Electrons falling from higher to lower energy levels releasing photons.
Absorption Spectra: The study of light absorbed by atomic objects.
Bohr Model: A simple model for understanding atomic structure.
Quantum Numbers: The four parameters that give the complete description of electrons in atoms.
Photoelectric Effect: The emission of electrons when light is shone on a metal.
Fine Structure: Small corrections to the energy levels due to relativistic effects.
Zeeman Effect: The splitting of spectral lines in the presence of a magnetic field.
Stark Effect: The splitting of spectral lines in the presence of an electric field.
Rydberg Formula: For calculating the wavelength of photons emitted or absorbed during atomic transitions.
Line Spectra: The emission or absorption of radiation over a narrow range of wavelengths.
Isotopes: Atoms with the same number of protons but different number of neutrons.
Nuclear Spin: The intrinsic angular momentum of atomic nuclei.
Spectroscopic Notations: Ways to write the electronic configurations of atoms.
Line Spectrum: A spectrum consisting of bright or dark lines at specific wavelengths or frequencies, formed when electrons move between discrete energy levels in an atom.
Continuous Spectrum: A spectrum that consists of an unbroken range of colors or wavelengths, produced by a hot, dense body like a blackbody radiator.
Absorption Spectrum: An atomic spectrum in which a series of dark lines appear, indicating the absence of specific wavelengths of light that have been absorbed by the atoms of an element.
Emission Spectrum: An atomic spectrum in which a series of bright lines appear, indicating the presence of specific wavelengths of light that have been emitted by the atoms of an element.
Fluorescence Spectrum: The spectrum produced when a material is illuminated with light at one wavelength and re-radiates that light at a longer wavelength.
Phosphorescence Spectrum: The spectrum produced when a material is illuminated with light and continues to emit light even after the illumination has stopped.
Raman Spectrum: A spectrum produced by the inelastic scattering of light from a molecule, which causes a shift in frequency due to the energy exchange between the molecule and the light.
X-ray Spectrum: A spectrum produced by the emission of X-rays from an atom or molecule, which can be used to determine the atomic structure of the material.
Infrared Spectrum: A spectrum produced by the absorption or emission of infrared radiation by a molecule, which can be used to determine the chemical composition of the material.
Ultraviolet-visible Spectrum: A spectrum produced by the absorption or emission of ultraviolet or visible light by a molecule, which can be used to determine the electronic structure of the material.
- "In physics, atomic spectroscopy is the study of the electromagnetic radiation absorbed and emitted by atoms."
- "Since unique elements have unique emission spectra, atomic spectroscopy is applied for determination of elemental compositions."
- "It can be divided by atomization source or by the type of spectroscopy used."
- "In the latter case, the main division is between optical and mass spectrometry."
- "Mass spectrometry generally gives significantly better analytical performance."
- "This complexity translates into higher purchase costs, higher operational costs, more operator training, and a greater number of components that can potentially fail."
- "Because optical spectroscopy is often less expensive and has performance adequate for many tasks, it is far more common."
- "Atomic absorption spectrometers are one of the most commonly sold and used analytical devices."