astronomy question. How can you tell which elements are present in distant stars?

Question

Explain how astronomers are able to tell which elements are present in distant stars by analyzing electromagnetic radiation emitted by the stars.

Answer 1

Very simply: Every element when heated gives off a radiation frequency that is specific to itself. When the entire spectrum of light from a star is analyzed, those frequencies representing specific elements are absorbed and show up as dark lines in specific areas. Each star has a unique pattern. After correcting for any red or blue shift ( discuss that another time), the same elements will appear in the same spectral region.

Answer 2

If I remember correctly, you have to look at the light coming from the stars through a prism (or some sort of device that refracts the light, don't remember what it is). This will separate the colors you can see depending on the wavelenght of the light emitted from the star. Different elements emit different wavelenghts of light, so depending on the color, you can tell which elements the star contains.

Answer 3

Different elements have different electromagnetic signatures. Like fireworks could use Barium Chloride to produce green color.
We know from our laboratories what elements produce what color of light (or, to be precise, what kind of spectrum).
By precisely measuring the colors (or spectrum, using spectrographs), it is possible to identify the elements.

Answer 4

Spectroscopy. The bands accross the spectrum tell us what elements are present.

Answer 5

they use a spectroscope... what you see in a spectroscope is a spectrum with a pattern in it... the pattern are lines in the spectrum and all elements have diff. patterns... kinda like fingerprints... so when you look at a star with a spectroscope, you see diff. elements... oh, and there can be lots of elements in a star...

Answer 6

You can mainly tell by the color of the star.