If each element radiates at its own specific frequency, what are those specific frequencies for each element?

Question

I have never been able to find a precise answer to this, in angstroms on the visible solar spectrum....except that hydrogen radiates at many different frequencies across the board, whereas magnesium and sodium appear to emit at green and yellow frequencies.
In comparing the colors of gems, for instance, the elements that each are composed of don't seem to tally with what I'd expect from the color frequency they reflect.

* 6 days ago
* - 1 day left to answer.

Answer 1

Every color is a specific frequency; just as the lower and higher electromagnetic waves. This goes all the way down to solids, and liquids, too. The resonant frequency of the planet earth is 3.5 Hz. Take a piece of aluminum tubing, lets say 1/2 inch in diameter and 6.561 feet (2.0761 meters) it will resonate at 144.5 MHz. Actually, as it is aluminum, it will attenuate the electromagnetic wave by .95%, therefore the actual resonat length will be 6.475. feet (1.972 meters).

That is the speed of light 300 mps devided by lambda gives the wavelength in mtrs. Even water resonates; its frequence being aproximately 2.45 Ghz (Not exact, as the lowest resonance of the water molecule is 22.235 GHz. This frequency is almost 10 times higher than the operating frequency of the microwave oven (2.45 GHz).

Answer 2

Google "atomic spectra" and you can find online data bases for the data you are looking for, e.g.:

http://physics.nist.gov/PhysRefData/ASD/index.html

All atoms have emission and absorption lines which range from the far infrared (and below) to UV and sometimes hard x-ray radiation. On top of that there is always a highly structured continuum for the atom -> ion transition.

If you study atomic physics, you will get exact explanations for all these spectra and learn how to predict them from first principles.

In molecular physics you will learn how molecular vibrations combine with electronic spectra. This is a hell of a lot more complex than atomic spectra alone.

And if you happen to study solid state physics, you will even learn how optical emission and absorption work in crystals and other solids. Now this is real hell because the number of possible physical effects is enormous (and you have to learn them all to pass the test... well, almost).

It takes three to four years of a regular physics course at a university to get through all this crap on the undergraduate level. It takes a lifetime as a physicist to understand the rest.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Reflection and radiation are different phenomena.
The radiation/absorbtion frequencies are determined
by the energy levels of electrons in the shell of the atoms under consideration. There are several lines even for simple hydrogen.
When you look at the reflections of room temperature substances, you are dealing with molecules, ( shared electrons), and it gets even more complicated.
You might find the emission/absorbtion spectra at
chemweb.com, but it won't help you with the rest of your question.