Is Earth's Emitted White Light Continuous in Space?

AI Thread Summary
White light emitted from Earth's surface would indeed have a continuous spectrum when observed from space, as it contains a range of wavelengths without distinct gaps. The concept of continuity in a spectrum refers to the presence of all wavelengths in a smooth transition rather than discrete lines. Observers in space would see the spectrum altered by atmospheric effects, but the fundamental nature of white light remains continuous. A clear explanation of how the observed spectrum differs from the original can enhance understanding. Ultimately, focusing on the characteristics of the spectrum is more crucial than strictly defining "continuous."
JB123
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If white light were emitted from Earth's surface and observed by someone in space, would its spectrum be continuous? Explain.
 
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Homework questions belong in the homework forums ; moreover, don't double-post. All this is explained in the posting guidelines of PF.
 
ok thanks. I just joined the site, I didn't know that.
plus, I wasn't getting any help in the other forum.
 
Start by making sense of the question.
What is white light?
What does continuous mean for a spectrum?

With my own vocabulary, the question looks strange. I would simply answer "yes" because the observed spectrum would certainly contain some continuous parts and therefore I would say it is continuous. But if you have a clear definition, you could do better.

I advise you to be pragmatic and simply explain how the observed spectrum would look like to the observer. Will it be different from the original white spectrum? And why? And how would it look like? ... and finally -if you want- decide about "continuous", but this is not the most important thing.
 

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