http://www.about-lamps.com/how-do-element-lamps-allow-us-to-observe-multiple-electron-transitions/80/ Your Questions, Our Answers Thu, 17 May 2012 07:52:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 http://www.about-lamps.com/how-do-element-lamps-allow-us-to-observe-multiple-electron-transitions/80/#comment-126 supastremph Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:06:22 +0000 http://www.about-lamps.com/how-do-element-lamps-allow-us-to-observe-multiple-electron-transitions/80/#comment-126 The difference is in the mechanism of light production. With ionized gases, the light comes from the discrete units of energy released as electrons drop to lower energy states. If you look at a light source that emits light due to heat, then it follows the blackbody radiation law, and emits a continuum of frequencies. Even the flame test viewed through a prism is going to have a spectrum in addition to the color perceived when viewing it directly--just as the light from the yellow sun is comprised of the colors of the rainbow. The difference is in the mechanism of light production. With ionized gases, the light comes from the discrete units of energy released as electrons drop to lower energy states. If you look at a light source that emits light due to heat, then it follows the blackbody radiation law, and emits a continuum of frequencies. Even the flame test viewed through a prism is going to have a spectrum in addition to the color perceived when viewing it directly–just as the light from the yellow sun is comprised of the colors of the rainbow.

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