Name: Ethan Irwin Date:
Student Exploration: Star Spectra
Directions: Follow the instructions to go through the simulation. Respond to the questions and
prompts in the orange boxes.
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.)
1. What happens when light goes through a prism? When light goes through a prism the light bends.
This band of colors is called a spectrum.
2. A rainbow is an example of a spectrum. What is the sequence of colors in a rainbow?
The dark line represents the absence of light. The colors go red, green, yellow, orange,
blue, purple, and black lines are spread throughout.
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.
1. 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 lines.
2. 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 some of them do, some don’t.
Drag the Helium spectrum next to the Star spectrum. Do some lines match? Helium does line up
with the star spectrum..
4. Try out the other available spectra. Do any others have lines that match? No , none others do.
5. Which elements have contributed to the spectrum of star 1? Helium and Hydrogen
This study source was downloaded by 100000850872992 from CourseHero.com on 02-17-2023 14:28:17 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/68587856/Copy-of-Gizmo-SV-Star-Spectra-exploration/
Student Exploration: Star Spectra
Directions: Follow the instructions to go through the simulation. Respond to the questions and
prompts in the orange boxes.
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.)
1. What happens when light goes through a prism? When light goes through a prism the light bends.
This band of colors is called a spectrum.
2. A rainbow is an example of a spectrum. What is the sequence of colors in a rainbow?
The dark line represents the absence of light. The colors go red, green, yellow, orange,
blue, purple, and black lines are spread throughout.
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.
1. 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 lines.
2. 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 some of them do, some don’t.
Drag the Helium spectrum next to the Star spectrum. Do some lines match? Helium does line up
with the star spectrum..
4. Try out the other available spectra. Do any others have lines that match? No , none others do.
5. Which elements have contributed to the spectrum of star 1? Helium and Hydrogen
This study source was downloaded by 100000850872992 from CourseHero.com on 02-17-2023 14:28:17 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/68587856/Copy-of-Gizmo-SV-Star-Spectra-exploration/
