In: Chemistry
why might one expect the water vapor spectrum to be different than the hydrogen lab spectrum?
The lines in the spectrum of H2O is entirely different than that of each diatomic atoms of hydrogen and oxygen.
The main reason for this is the differences between the exited state orbitals and the groundstates of molecular orbitals which overlaps with the sp3 hybridized orbitals of oxygen.
As steam is opaque to light it appears white because it is composed of small minute droplets of liquid water and hence it appears white. steam is not considered as WATER VAPOR, it is only the gaseous form of water. contrary to steam water vapor is transparent hence the spectral lines will not change. It also does not change with temperature