line spectrum


nounPhysics.
  1. an electromagnetic spectrum consisting of discrete lines, usually characteristic of excited atoms or molecules.

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Origin of line spectrum

1
First recorded in 1870–75

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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

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Scientific definitions for line spectrum

line spectrum

  1. An image of colored lines or bands of light formed in optical spectroscopy, each line representing one of the frequencies in the spectrum of a light source. The light source is usually broken into individual bands by a prism or a diffraction grating.

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