Key Words

Terms preceded by an asterisk (*) are discussed in the Boxes.

absolute zero

kelvin

absorption line spectrum

Kirchhoff’s laws

atom

light scattering

*atomic number

*luminosity

Balmer line

Lyman series

Balmer series

microwaves

blackbody

molecule

blackbody curve

nanometer

blackbody radiation

neutron

blueshift

nucleus

Bohr orbits

opaque

compound

Paschen series

continuous spectrum

*periodic table

*degrees Celsius

photon

*degrees Fahrenheit

Planck’s law

Doppler effect

proton

electromagnetic radiation

quantum mechanics

electromagnetic spectrum

radial velocity

electromagnetism

radio waves

electron

redshift

electron volt

*solar constant

element

spectral analysis

emission line spectrum

spectral line

energy flux

spectroscopy

energy level

spectrum (plural spectra)

energy-level diagram

Stefan-Boltzmann law

excited state

thermal energy

frequency

ultraviolet radiation

gamma rays

visible light

ground state

watt

infrared radiation

wavelength

ionization

wavelength of maximum emission

*isotope

Wien’s law

joule

X-rays