Question

How do the wavelengths of dark lines in an absorption spectrum relate to the bright lines in the emission spectrum of the same gas?

Options

• Dark lines contain all wavelengths.

• Bright lines occur only in the continuous spectrum.

• They are different for the same gas.

• They are identical.

Answer 1

For a given gas, absorption lines and emission lines correspond to the same wavelengths. The dark lines in its absorption spectrum therefore match the wavelengths of the bright lines in its emission spectrum.