A laboratory on the surface of Earth makes a spectrum of radiation that originates at the Sun and reflects off a celestial body with an atmosphere such as Saturn's large satellite Titan. Which one of the following statements about the resulting spectrum is correct?
A)The reflection from the solid surface produces sharp spectral lines.
B)Earth's atmosphere contributes only very broad spectral features, not sharp lines, to the spectrum.
C)The atmosphere of the body can contribute sharp absorption lines to the spectrum.
D)There is no evidence in the spectrum of the solar origin of the radiation.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When radiation from the sun reflects off a celestial body with an atmosphere, the atmosphere can contribute sharp absorption lines to the spectrum. This is because the atoms and molecules in the atmosphere can absorb specific wavelengths of light, leaving dark absorption lines in the spectrum. These absorption lines can provide information about the composition and properties of the atmosphere. Option A is incorrect because reflections off solid surfaces do not typically produce sharp spectral lines. Option B is incorrect because Earth's atmosphere does contribute to the spectrum with broad features, but this is not the only contribution. Option D is incorrect because the solar origin of the radiation is evident in the spectrum.

A Laboratory on the Surface of Earth Makes a Spectrum