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View Full Version : "glow" of emission lines vs. hot objects


taoke
Jun30-07, 11:30 AM
I was wondering how the mechanisms differ between the following two scenarios:

A. The glow of emission lines

(I think it has to do with the Bohr atom)

B. The glow of hot objects

(I think it has to do with Blackbody radiation)

HallsofIvy
Jun30-07, 03:05 PM
They are really pretty much the same. The difference is that "objects" are typically made of many different elements which "glow" at many different frequencies. If you heat, say, pure salt, you will see primarily the emission lines for sodium.