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abstraction > mathematical concept > number > quantity > radiation measurement > spectral feature > set of lines > set of molecular lines

set of molecular lines comparison table

Subject	has definition
band head	The conspicuous sharp boundary which usually occurs at the head of a molecular band and which fades gradually toward either longer or shorter wavelengths, depending on the quadratic relation between frequency and rotational quantum number.
molecular band	A series of closely spaced, often unresolved, emission or absorption lines found in the spectra of molecules. Each line represents an increment of energy due to a change in the rotational state of the molecule.
P-branch	A set of lines in the spectra of molecules corresponding to unit increases in rotational energy.
Q-branch	A set of lines in the spectra of molecules corresponding to changes in vibrational energy with none in rotational energy.
R-branch	A set of lines in the spectra of molecules corresponding to unit decreases in rotational energy.

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