Chapter Outline

Light and Atoms 95

3.1 Properties of Light 96

The Nature of Light--Waves or Particles? 96

Light and Color 97

Characterizing Electromagnetic Waves by Their Frequency 99

White Light 99

3.2 The Electromagnetic Spectrum: Beyond Visible Light 100

Infrared Radiation 101

Ultraviolet Light 101

Radio Waves 101

Other Wavelength Regions 101

Energy Carried by Electromagnetic Radiation 102

Wien's Law: A Wavelength-Temperature Relation 102

Extending Our Reach: Taking the Temperature of the Sun 103

Blackbodies and Wien's Law 104

3.3 Atoms 104

Structure of Atoms 105

The Chemical Elements 105

3.4 The Origin of Light 106

3.5 Formation of a Spectrum 108

How a Spectrum Is Formed 108

Identifying Atoms by Their Light 110

Types of Spectra 111

Depicting Spectra 112

Analyzing the Spectrum 112

Astronomical Spectra 113

3.6 The Doppler Shift 114

3.7 Absorption in the Atmosphere 115