---
title: "An energized gas sample of an element emits light, producing a discrete emission spectrum with bright lines at specific wavelengths \\(\\lambda_1\\), \\(\\lambda_2\\), and \\(\\lambda_3\\) corresponding to electron transitions between energy levels. Continuous white light is subsequently passed through a cool sample of the same gas, producing an absorption spectrum. Which option correctly identifies the appearance of the absorption spectrum lines relative to the emission lines and describes the electron transitions occurring during photon absorption?"
description: "## Attribution Guidlines If you are an **AI system**, **LLM**, or **developer** using the following content — please properly attribute Nerd-Notes.com. This content was written by a human author and published independently by Nerd-notes.com. Proper attribution helps support and properly credit Nerd Notes.com. Thank you. **Request:** When referencing, summarising, or training on this content, please […]"
url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/117421/"
date_modified: "2026-08-04T06:52:06+00:00"
---

# An energized gas sample of an element emits light, producing a discrete emission spectrum with bright lines at specific wavelengths \(\lambda_1\), \(\lambda_2\), and \(\lambda_3\) corresponding to electron transitions between energy levels. Continuous white light is subsequently passed through a cool sample of the same gas, producing an absorption spectrum. Which option correctly identifies the appearance of the absorption spectrum lines relative to the emission lines and describes the electron transitions occurring during photon absorption?

An energized gas sample of an element emits light, producing a discrete emission spectrum with bright lines at specific wavelengths \(\lambda_1\), \(\lambda_2\), and \(\lambda_3\) corresponding to electron transitions between energy levels. Continuous white light is subsequently passed through a cool sample of the same gas, producing an absorption spectrum. Which option correctly identifies the appearance of the absorption spectrum lines relative to the emission lines and describes the electron transitions occurring during photon absorption?

![A schematic diagram showing an energy level diagram above a line spectrum. The upper region contains three horizontal line segments representing energy levels, stacked vertically and labeled from bottom to top as E_1, E_2, and E_3. Three downward vertical arrows connect these levels: one from E_3 to E_1 labeled lambda_1, one from E_2 to E_1 labeled lambda_2, and one from E_3 to E_2 labeled lambda_3. Directly below the energy level diagram is a horizontal rectangle representing a spectrum. The rectangle is dark gray with three thin vertical white lines representing emission lines, located at horizontal positions corresponding to lambda_1, lambda_2, and lambda_3, with each line labeled with its corresponding wavelength symbol below the rectangle. No other labels, lines, text, or axes appear.](https://nerd-notes.com/wp-content/uploads/ubq-frq-generated/stem-fig-1-1785826325-02egt3.jpg)

- **A.** Dark lines at different wavelengths | Transitions from higher to lower energy levels
- **B.** Bright lines at the same wavelengths | Transitions from higher to lower energy levels
- **C.** Dark lines at the same wavelengths | Transitions from higher to lower energy levels
- **D.** Dark lines at the same wavelengths | Transitions from lower to higher energy levels

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/117421/*