A particular spectrograph,used by an astronomer to disperse light into its colors,contains a piece of glass that has been ruled with thousands of closely spaced,parallel lines.What is this piece of glass called?
A) an interferometer
B) a CCD array
C) a diffraction grating
D) a prism

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A diffraction grating is a piece of glass or transparent material that has been ruled with thousands of closely spaced, parallel lines. When light passes through the grating, it is dispersed into its component colors, creating a spectrum. This allows astronomers to study the chemical composition and physical properties of celestial objects. Interferometers are used to measure small distances and angles in astronomy, while CCD arrays are imaging detectors used to capture digital images of the night sky. Prisms can also be used to disperse light into its colors, but they are not as commonly used in spectroscopy as diffraction gratings.

A Particular Spectrograph,used by an Astronomer to Disperse Light into Its