## emission and absorption spectrum

$c=\lambda v$

AtreyiMitra2L
Posts: 169
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:03 am
Been upvoted: 1 time

### emission and absorption spectrum

Are these spectrums interchangeable?

Austin Ho 1E
Posts: 50
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:04 am
Been upvoted: 2 times

### Re: emission and absorption spectrum

I believe that atomic/emission/absorption spectrum all refer to the same thing. The way I think of it is that electrons in a Hydrogen atom, for instance, start out at the 'ground state' or lowest possible energy level, n=1. They are then excited by a photon of light that corresponds to the energy difference between n=1 and another principal quantum number, like n=2 for instance. The results in an absorption spectrum. Then, the electron emits a photon of light that once again corresponds to the energy difference. This is the emission spectrum. Since the amount of energy changed is the same, both emission and absorption spectrums are technically the same.

Tldr; they are the same since the amount of energy changed between the absorption and emission is the same.

ami patel
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Jul 27, 2017 3:00 am

### Re: emission and absorption spectrum

i would not think they are because they describe two completely different spectrums. i hope this link will be able to explain it to you clearly https://www.researchgate.net/post/Whats ... e_molecule

Lucian1F
Posts: 87
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:07 am
Been upvoted: 1 time

### Re: emission and absorption spectrum

The values of the lines will be the same since the energy levels for each element are constant. The lines only change as you change elements. The difference is in what is measured. If the wavelengths/frequencies of light that are being released by the atom are measured, it results in an emission spectrum. If they are being absorbed by the atom, then it results in an absorption spectrum.