Kirchhoff's Laws of Spectroscopy

Kirchhoff's Laws of Spectroscopy describe how light interacts with matter. The first law states that a hot solid or liquid emits a continuous spectrum of light. The second law indicates that a hot gas emits light at specific wavelengths, producing bright lines in a spectrum. The third law explains that a cooler gas absorbs light at the same wavelengths it would emit when hot, creating dark lines in a continuous spectrum. Together, these laws help scientists analyze celestial bodies and chemical compositions by examining the light they emit or absorb.