Question

Continuous spectrum is produced by(multiple correct):
A. Incandescent electric bulb
B. Sun
C. Hydrogen molecules
D. Sodium vapour lamp

Answer 1

Hint: Continuous spectrum is mainly produced by thermal emission from a blackbody. Only certain wavelengths can be emitted and absorbed by the atom when the energy levels in the atom are quantized. This can be explained by Bohr’s Quantization Principle.

Complete step by step answer:
Continuous spectrum is basically a beam of light in which all the wavelengths are present within a given limit. Continuous spectrum is mainly produced by thermal emission from a blackbody. Only certain wavelengths can be emitted and absorbed by the atom when the energy levels in the atom are quantized. This can be explained by Bohr’s Quantization Principle.
The sunlight and Incandescent light can produce continuous spectrum as it primarily involves the photodissociation of hydride ions (negatively charged hydrogen atoms).
There are many ways in which continuous spectrum is produced such as when perfectly white light is incident on a prism, a band of seven colors is seen or a rainbow produced in sunlight, whereas heating of a gas produces an emission spectrum as the gas molecules absorb heat energy and emit it to the surrounding.
Hence, options A and B are correct.

Note: We have seen a rainbow and have most likely seen a continuous spectrum because it is believed that the sun’s light contains this sort of spectrum though you may learn that this is often not so all the time. Once white light is more responsible for a prism, it produces a band of seven colors owing to the various wavelengths that bend at different angles once they bear the prism.