Astronomy 101: Spectral Line Widths

Skynet University: http://skynet.unc.edu/introastro Use Our Telescopes From Anywhere! Astronomy 101: The Solar System Lesson 3: Nature of Light Topic: Spectral Line Widths Next:  Lesson 4 (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLy034wwN98YIcO0H7fiOzM0rlvtV7gpHj) Previous: Doppler Effect (http://youtu.be/vFNtV37m2a4) In Lesson 3, we explore how we receive information from the universe, primarily in the form of light. We explore the nature of light, beginning with whether it is a particle or a wave. If it is a wave, what is the medium in which the wave travels? We explore how light is created, and study two examples in detail: thermal radiation and atomic absorption and emission lines. We study the absorption and emission lines of hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, in particular. We learn how all of this information can be used to measure compositions and temperatures. We explore the Doppler effect and how it can be used to measure line-of-sight velocities, internal motions, etc. YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/introastro Lesson Playlist: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLy034wwN98YKWZ7rjMc7suhkiaDrh4Id4