how can light tell you what the planets are made of?

Answer 1

.through spectroscopic analysis we can tell what things are made of- the light reflected is only reflected in certain frequencies of the light spectrum based on the properties of whatever material is reflecting it. Each element absorbs and reflects different colors of the spectrum and thus allows the light to tell us a little story about the place from whence it came......

Answer 2

The albedo or reflectivity can help you guess the material (such as if it is very icy which would give it a high albedo).

With more distant gas planets we are able to look at the absorption spectrum from their star's light passes through their (cooler gas) atmospheres. When you compare it to the star's regular spectrum you can see what light the planet's atmosphere absorbs since certain gases absorb particular wavelengths of light.

I know they did this with HD 209458b if you would like to look up a specific example.

Answer 3

When light of sufficient energy strikes matter it kicks the electrons up to an excited state. When the electron falls back to its ground state it emits light at very specific frequencies.

These specific frequencies appear as lines of color on a spectrascope. As the elements all have very specific frequencies of light they emit, you can determine at great distances the actual elements present in stars, nebulas, and galaxies, any body that gives off light, directly or by reflection.

In fact the element Helium was discovered that way on our sun before it was discovered on earth in gas wells.

Answer 4

The lights given out by the burning of different elements emit different colours and different frequencies . But burning diferent elements in the labs and studyng the frequencies of the light spectrum emitted by them , the scientistes are able to identify the elements that emit the particlar shade of light and detect the elements .

Answer 5

a million) Spectroscopy - diverse components reflect diverse (and diagnostic) wavelengths of sunshine, so the seen and infrared spectrum of a planet's floor is almost a diverse fingerprint that tells us the composition of it is floor. 2) Telescope measurements of planet length (mass and volume), gravity, and orbital parameters enable us to deduce what components they ought to be made up of (interior and out). 3) understanding what the Earth is made up of, and understanding approximately it is layered inner shape provides us a commencing element from which to income the different planets. 4) Theoretical calculations of what factors ought to have condensed in diverse areas of the photograph voltaic nebula (while the photograph voltaic gadget shaped) - purely particular factors could be good at particular distances from the solar. For the main section, all of those strains of knowledge agree and sweetness the foundation of our expertise of the planetary gadget. yet we don't understand each and every thing yet, and actual as we proceed to discover the photograph voltaic gadget, extra wisdom and a few exciting surprises look ahead to us.

Answer 6

Spectroscopy. The elements give off a characteristic pattern of light.

Answer 7

By analyzing the reflectance, and spectral absorbtion of light, a great deal can be learned about a planet.


Doug

Answer 8

by analyses of rays comes from space we can know what kind of elements we have so each ray has a wave lenght and by some spectra equipment we can find that.. and each element has its own spectra