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2026-04-27T18:12:50Z

Created page with "{{Short description|Discrete frequency of light emitted or absorbed by an atom}} ← Back to Matter by scale A '''spectral line''' is a discrete frequency or wavelength of light emitted or absorbed by an atom. It arises from a transition of an electron between different energy levels...."

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imported>WikiHarold: Created page with "{{Short description|Discrete frequency of light emitted or absorbed by an atom}} ← Back to Matter by scale A '''spectral line''' is a discrete frequency or wavelength of light emitted or absorbed by an atom. It arises from a transition of an electron between different energy levels...."

2026-04-27T18:12:50Z

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{{Short description|Discrete frequency of light emitted or absorbed by an atom}}

[[Book:Quantum Collection/Matter (by scale)|← Back to Matter by scale]]

A '''spectral line''' is a discrete frequency or wavelength of light emitted or absorbed by an [[Physics:Quantum atoms/atom|atom]]. It arises from a [[Physics:Quantum atoms/transition|transition]] of an [[Physics:Quantum atoms/electron|electron]] between different [[Physics:Quantum atoms/energy level|energy levels]].

<div style="float:right; border:1px solid #e0d890; background:#fff8cc; padding:6px; margin:0 0 1em 1em; width:320px;">
[[File:Atomic_spectrum_lines.png|300px]]
<div style="font-size:90%;">Spectral lines produced by electron transitions between discrete energy levels in an atom.</div>
</div>

== Description ==
Each spectral line corresponds to a specific difference in energy between two energy levels. When an electron transitions to a lower level, a photon is emitted; when it moves to a higher level, a photon is absorbed.

The set of spectral lines forms an atomic spectrum, which is characteristic of each element.

== Properties ==

* discrete wavelengths or frequencies
* determined by [[Physics:Quantum atoms/energy level|energy level]] differences
* produced by [[Physics:Quantum atoms/transition|transitions]]

=See also=
{{#invoke:PhysicsQC|tocHeadingAndList|Physics:Quantum basics/See also}}

=References=
{{reflist|3}}

{{Author|Harold Foppele}}
{{Sourceattribution|Physics:Quantum atoms/spectral line|1}}

Physics:Quantum atoms/spectral line - Revision history