What are the common uses of spectrum tubes?

[dsptl]

The spectrum tubes work by runnig an electric current through a sealed tube containing gas. What common use of this method can you think of?

 

[Sonolum]

Have you come up with anything yet? I wouldn't feel right just *telling* you - But think about it and take a guess - do you notice any tubes connected to electricity in common use anywhere?

 

[dsptl]

yes, I thought it would be "Cooking with Gas", but i was not sure thts why i hv asked

 

[Sonolum]

Well, hang on, let's think about this. What happens when you run electricity through a sealed tube full of gas? Does it *do* anything useful? If you were to notice this phenomenon, what would *you* think of using it for?

 

[dsptl]

We all don't have any clue about this, since he did not went over it.

 

[Sonolum]

Well, think about it!

What happens when you start throwing charged particles at the atoms in the gas? What else are you learning about in class and the relevant chapter? I can almost guarantee they're related. ;)

 

[dsptl]

we are learning about The Grating Spectrometer

 

[Sonolum]

Grating? Like diffraction grating? What does this spectrometer measure?

 

[dsptl]

actually this is a lab. we used spectrometer for to find Hydrogen and Helium wavelengths at some colors

 

[Sonolum]

Ah ha! So what does wavelengths, and colors tell you? What kind of waves were you dealing with?

 

[dsptl]

is fluoracent lamp could be use of this method?

 

[Sonolum]

Yes! If you electrify a gas, it glows, and that makes for pretty okay lighting!

 

[dsptl]

thanks! another quick question

I know tht ultraviolet and ifrared are not visible to human eyes, but where would it be appear on spectrometer?

 

[Sonolum]

Well, I don't know what equipment you have... I can help you figure out where UV and IR waves would be in relation to visible light in the electromagnetic spectrum, though...

Also, think about their wavelengths in relation to the possible wavelengths of visible light!