Applet: Spectroscopy and Stellar Identification

Module 2: The Sun and Stars

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Using the Applet:

This applet is designed to illustrate the three different kinds of spectra: emission, continuous, and absorption.

Students should begin by carefully examine each of the three spectra animations noting how the different spectra are produced.

Students should also be encouraged to attempt the "classifying spectra activity". In this activity, students will drag the stellar spectra (bottom right) to the spectra from known elements (top right) identifying which elements are presen in each of the sample spectra.

Answers may be recorded in the text field provided as the print function is available.

To review the concept of spectroscopy Click Here.