Question: What are some of the advantages/ disadvantages of BOTH the SpectroVis and Project STAR spectrometers? - (and how would one determine uncertainty for each?)
a) All macroscopic objects emit a continuous spectrum of radiation with a peak at a wavelength that depends on temperature. You saw this in lab with the lightbulb. Given that the discharge tube has a temperature of about 50 degrees Celsius, use Wien's displacement law to argue why you dont see the continuous spectrum when looking at the gas with the spectrometer.
b) When you looked through the spectrometers at hydrogen, how many lines did you see? Why did they get closer together as they get bluer in color? (If your group only saw two or three lines, look up the other visible hydrogen lines)
c) Are there transitions of higher or lower energy that we don't see? how many total transitions are there for hydrogen?
Also, how does one use wavelengths to calculate the energy of corresponding photons, in eV's?