What are the common uses of spectrum tubes?

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Spectrum tubes operate by passing electric current through gas-filled sealed tubes, causing them to emit light. Common applications include fluorescent lamps, which utilize this principle to produce illumination. The discussion also touches on the relationship between electric currents, gas excitation, and the resulting wavelengths of light, including visible and non-visible spectra like ultraviolet and infrared. Participants explore connections to educational topics such as diffraction grating and spectrometry, emphasizing the importance of understanding wavelengths. Overall, the conversation highlights the practical uses of spectrum tubes in lighting and scientific measurement.
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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?
 
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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?
 
yes, I thought it would be "Cooking with Gas", but i was not sure thts why i hv asked
 
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?
 
We all don't have any clue about this, since he did not went over it.
 
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. ;)
 
we are learning about The Grating Spectrometer
 
Grating? Like diffraction grating? What does this spectrometer measure?
 
actually this is a lab. we used spectrometer for to find Hydrogen and Helium wavelengths at some colors
 
  • #10
Ah ha! So what does wavelengths, and colors tell you? What kind of waves were you dealing with?
 
  • #11
is fluoracent lamp could be use of this method?
 
  • #12
Yes! If you electrify a gas, it glows, and that makes for pretty okay lighting!
 
  • #13
thanks! another quick question

I know tht ultraviolet and ifrared are not visible to human eyes, but where would it be appear on spectrometer?
 
  • #14
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!
 
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