M1L2: Gizmo Lab: Star Spectra
Name: Georgina Zacari Date: 6/13/2020
Vocabulary: absorption spectrum, binary star, blueshift, Cepheid variable, emission spectrum,
giant star, nebula, redshift, spectrum, star
Prior Kno
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M1L2: Gizmo Lab: Star Spectra
Name: Georgina Zacari Date: 6/13/2020
Vocabulary: absorption spectrum, binary star, blueshift, Cepheid variable, emission spectrum,
giant star, nebula, redshift, spectrum, star
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
What happens when light goes through a prism? It provides a spectrum of colors which
are violet, blue, green, yellow, orange,
and red. :)
This band of colors is called a spectrum.
A rainbow is an example of a spectrum. What is the sequence of colors in a rainbow?
Violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red.
Gizmo Warm-up
The interior of a star produces a continuous spectrum of light,
like a rainbow. Cooler gases in the outer layers of the star
absorb certain wavelengths of light, causing dark lines to appear
in the spectrum. The resulting absorption spectrum can tell
astronomers a great deal about the star.
On the Star Spectra Gizmo™, turn on Show labels. Select star
1 to see its absorption spectrum.
How many lines do you see in the spectrum? 10
Drag the Hydrogen spectrum next to the Star spectrum so that the edges line up.
Do some of the lines on the two spectra match up? Yes
Drag the Helium spectrum next to the Star spectrum.
Do some lines match? yes
Try out the other available spectra.
Do any others have lines that match? No
Which elements have contributed to the spectrum of
star 1?
hydrogen and helium
Note: The elements in a star’s spectrum do not necessarily reflect what the star is made of.
The absorption spectrum is mostly determined by the surface temperature of the star
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