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  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 1995  > July  >
General Interest
Why Do Spectral Lines Have a Linewidth?
Volker B. E. Thomsen
Spectro Analytical Instruments, Fitchburg, MA 01420
Cover
July 1995
Vol. 72 No. 7
p. 616
Abstract
Any discussion involving spectral wavelength scans in introductory chemistry or instrumental methods classes runs the risk of encountering the following very good question: Why do spectral lines have a certain width rather than being straight lines on the scan? Theoretically, shouldn't each electron energy-level transition result in a spectral line at a single wavelength, corresponding to the difference in energy between the levels. Why the spread? Provided is a pedagogically useful introduction to the physical principles involved in the natural linewidth and Doppler broadening. Lorentz broadening is also briefly discussed. Also of interest from a teaching standpoint is the number of physical principles that can be addressed or reviewed under this single topic such as Planck's law and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.
More Information
*  Citation
 Thomsen, Volker B. E. J. Chem. Educ. 1995 72 616.
*  Keywords
*  History
 Created:
Last Updated:		 10/1/1999
5/22/2006
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