Hydrogen/Helium Emission Spectra Temperature Dependence

In summary, the conversation discusses the search for data on the emission spectra of single hydrogen, molecular hydrogen (H2), and helium at different temperatures. The speaker is looking for information on the brightest emission lines and overall visible color of each material as it is heated from room temperature to 10,000 degrees Kelvin. They mention that at these high temperatures, the emission should resemble that of a black body due to the dominance of free electrons. The speaker is hoping for colors correlated with temperature and is also interested in the same information for single hydrogen and helium. They express their belief that astronomers would be the best source for this data and appreciate any help in finding it.
  • #1
Albertgauss
Gold Member
292
37
Hi all,

Does anyone know where I can find data details of how Emission Spectra depends on temperature for the following materials:

Single Hydrogen
Molecular Hydrogen (H2)
Helium

That is, as I heat up each of the above materials by themselves, from room temperature to thousands of degrees, I'd like to know, at each temperature step in my heating gas, which emission lines are the brightest and what the overall visible color of the gas is. I know around 10,000 degrees or so, Hydrogen will be all white.

I'm sure there is data for this somewhere and that's what I'd like to see. I don't really have time to do all the math of integrating plank curves, black-body integrals, etc. I'm sure someone has the experimental data somewhere, I'm just having a hard time finding it and figured astronomers would know best where to look. Any help, even partial, is appreciated.
 
  • #3
The main idea is, suppose I had H2 gas and I heat it from room temperature to 10,000 degrees K. How will its overall color change as it gets hotter and hotter? I was hoping for some colors correlated with temperature. I.e., at 2000 deg what color is it, then at 2500 deg what color does it turn to, etc.

I also wanted the same information for single Hydrogen and Helium, if possible.
 
  • #4
At those temperatures (and higher) the free electrons should dominate the emission, so it should look like a black body to a good approximation. See red dwarfs, they have hydrogen and helium in that temperature range.
 

1. What is the relationship between temperature and hydrogen/helium emission spectra?

The temperature of a gas affects its emission spectra in two ways: first, at high temperatures, more atoms are excited to higher energy levels, resulting in a more intense emission spectrum. Second, as the temperature increases, the average kinetic energy of the atoms also increases, leading to a broadening of the spectral lines. This broadening is known as thermal Doppler broadening.

2. How does the temperature of a gas affect the intensity of its emission lines?

As mentioned in the previous answer, higher temperatures result in more atoms being excited to higher energy levels, which leads to a more intense emission spectrum. This is because, at higher temperatures, there is a greater chance of collisions between atoms, which can excite them to higher energy levels.

3. Can the temperature of a gas affect the position of its emission lines?

Yes, the temperature of a gas can affect the position of its emission lines. As the temperature increases, the average kinetic energy of the atoms also increases, causing the atoms to move faster. This leads to a broadening of the spectral lines, known as thermal Doppler broadening. Therefore, the position of the emission lines can shift towards shorter wavelengths at higher temperatures.

4. How does the temperature of a gas affect the shape of its emission spectrum?

The temperature of a gas can affect the shape of its emission spectrum in two ways: first, as the temperature increases, the average kinetic energy of the atoms increases, leading to a broadening of spectral lines due to thermal Doppler broadening. Second, at high temperatures, more atoms are excited to higher energy levels, resulting in a more intense and broader emission spectrum.

5. Is there a specific temperature at which hydrogen/helium emission spectra are most intense?

There is no specific temperature at which hydrogen/helium emission spectra are most intense. As mentioned before, the intensity of the emission spectrum increases with temperature, but the exact temperature at which it peaks will depend on the specific conditions of the gas, such as pressure and density. However, in general, higher temperatures will result in a more intense emission spectrum for hydrogen and helium gases.

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