CHEMLAB 5

Line Spectra
Y ou know that sunlight is made up of a continuous spectrum of
colors that combine to form white light. You also have learned
that atoms of gases can emit visible light of characteristic wave-
lengths when excited by electricity. The color you see is the sum of all
of the emitted wavelengths. In this experiment, you will use a diffrac-
tion grating to separate these wavelengths into emission line spectra.
You also will investigate another type of line spectrum—the absorp-
tion spectrum. The color of each solution you observe is due to the
reflection or transmission of unabsorbed wavelengths of light. When
white light passes through a sample and then a diffraction grating, dark
lines show up on the continuous spectrum of white light. These lines cor-
respond to the wavelengths of the photons absorbed by the solution.

Problem Objectives Materials

What absorption and • Observe emission spectra of (For each group) food coloring (red,
emission spectra do vari- several gases. ring stand with clamp green, blue, and
ous substances produce? • Observe the absorption 40-W tubular light yellow)
spectra of various solutions. bulb set of colored pencils
• Analyze patterns of absorp- light socket with book
tion and emission spectra. power cord
(For entire class)
275-mL polystyrene
spectrum tubes
culture flask (4)
(hydrogen, neon,
Flinn C-Spectra® or
and mercury)
similar diffraction
spectrum tube power
grating
supplies (3)

Safety Precautions
• Always wear safety goggles and a lab apron.
• Use care around the spectrum tube power supplies.
• Spectrum tubes will get hot when used.
Pre-Lab
Drawings of Absorption Spectra
1. Read the entire CHEMLAB.
2. Explain how electrons in an element’s atoms pro- Red
duce an emission spectrum. Green
3. Distinguish among a continuous spectrum, an Blue
emission spectrum, and an absorption spectrum.
Yellow
4. Prepare your data tables.

Drawings of Emission Spectra Procedure

Hydrogen 1. Use a Flinn C-Spectra® to view an incandescent
Neon light bulb. What do you observe? Draw the spec-
trum using colored pencils.
Mercury

142 Chapter 5 Electrons in Atoms