Use the spectrum readings from the sun (upper) and a star (lower) to answer the question.

Which inference can be made from the spectrum readings?

(1 point)
Responses

There is a blue shift, which means that the star is moving towards the sun.
There is a blue shift, which means that the star is moving towards the sun.

There is a red shift, which means that the star is moving towards the sun.
There is a red shift, which means that the star is moving towards the sun.

There is a blue shift, which means that the star is moving away from the sun.
There is a blue shift, which means that the star is moving away from the sun.

There is a red shift, which means that the star is moving away from the sun.
There is a red shift, which means that the star is moving away from the sun.
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1 answer

To determine the correct inference about the spectrum readings from the sun and the star, you would typically look for changes in the wavelengths of light in the spectra.

  1. A blue shift occurs when the wavelengths are compressed (shifted towards the blue end of the spectrum), indicating that the object (in this case, the star) is moving towards the observer (the sun).

  2. A red shift occurs when the wavelengths are stretched (shifted towards the red end of the spectrum), indicating that the object is moving away from the observer.

Without the actual spectrum readings, if you observe a blue shift in the star's spectrum compared to the sun's, you would conclude that the star is moving towards the sun. Conversely, if there is a red shift, it would indicate that the star is moving away from the sun.

Based on common interpretations:

  • If the star's spectrum shows a blue shift: "There is a blue shift, which means that the star is moving towards the sun."
  • If the star's spectrum shows a red shift: "There is a red shift, which means that the star is moving away from the sun."

Choose the response that matches the indicated shift in the spectrum readings you have been provided.