line spectrum

American  

noun

Physics.

1. an electromagnetic spectrum consisting of discrete lines, usually characteristic of excited atoms or molecules.

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line spectrum Scientific  

1. An image of colored lines or bands of light formed in optical spectroscopy, each line representing one of the frequencies in the spectrum of a light source. The light source is usually broken into individual bands by a prism or a diffraction grating.

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Etymology

Origin of line spectrum

First recorded in 1870–75

Compare meaning

How does line-spectrum compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• continuous spectrum vs. line spectrum
• continuous vs. line spectrum

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

line spectrum

The study, "CECILIA: Faint emission line spectrum of z~2-3 star-forming galaxies," was supported by NASA, the Pittsburgh Foundation and the Research Corporation for Scientific Advancement.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 20, 2023

The line spectrum of hydrogen can be obtained by passing the light from an electrified tube of hydrogen gas through a prism.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

This line spectrum was simple enough that an empirical formula called the Rydberg formula could be derived from the spectrum.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

When that continuous spectrum is viewed through a thinner cloud of gas, an absorption line spectrum can be seen superimposed on the continuous spectrum.

From Textbooks ● Oct. 13, 2016

The positive rays show, when the pressure is not very low, the line spectrum of the gas through which they pass.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 8 "Conduction, Electric" by Various