The dark absorption lines in the solar spectrum are caused by
A) a cooler layer of gas overlying the hot solar surface, which contains many elements, including hydrogen, helium, magnesium, calcium, and iron.
B) a cooler layer overlying the hot solar surface, consisting solely of hydrogen gas, which produces all the absorption lines.
C) absorption by atoms and molecules in Earth's cool atmosphere.
D) a hotter layer of gas that overlies the cooler solar surface and produces the absorption lines.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The dark absorption lines in the solar spectrum, known as Fraunhofer lines, are caused by a cooler layer of gas overlying the hot solar surface. This layer, called the photosphere, contains many elements such as hydrogen, helium, magnesium, calcium, and iron, which absorb specific wavelengths of light, resulting in the observed absorption lines.

The Dark Absorption Lines in the Solar Spectrum Are Caused