Glow of emission lines vs. hot objects

[taoke]

"glow" of emission lines vs. hot objects

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]

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.

 

[m2003]

The glow of emission lines and hot objects are two different phenomena that are caused by different mechanisms. The glow of emission lines is a result of the excitation and de-excitation of electrons in atoms, while the glow of hot objects is due to Blackbody radiation.

In the case of emission lines, the atoms are excited by either heat or other forms of energy and as they return to their ground state, they emit light at specific wavelengths. This is known as the Bohr atom model, where electrons exist in specific energy levels around the nucleus and can jump between these levels, emitting or absorbing energy in the form of light.

On the other hand, the glow of hot objects is a result of the thermal energy of the object itself. As the temperature of an object increases, the atoms and molecules within it start to vibrate and emit electromagnetic radiation, which we perceive as light. This is known as Blackbody radiation, where the intensity and wavelength of the emitted light depend on the temperature of the object.

In summary, the glow of emission lines and hot objects are two distinct phenomena with different underlying mechanisms. While the former is a result of the excitation and de-excitation of electrons in atoms, the latter is caused by the thermal energy of the object itself. Both are important in understanding the behavior of matter and light in our universe.