Mass spectrometry and isotopes

Question 1

whats an absorption spectrum?

Answer 1

black lines on a coloured background

Question 2

whats an emission spectrum?

Answer 2

coloured lines on a black background

Question 3

how do electrons emit light?

Answer 3

• electrons absorb a photon of energy
• they move to a higher energy level
• they drop back to a lower energy level
• give out a photon of energy which appears as light on the emission spectrum

Question 4

what happens to the electron levels as you get further from the nucleus?

Answer 4

the lines become closer together because the energy levels become closer

Question 5

are the lines on the spectrum fixed?

Answer 5

yes, since electrons can only exist in certain fixed energy levels so the lines must be fixed