In Latin, spectrum means "image" or ""apparition", including the meaning "spectre

spectre". Spectral
evidence is testimony about what was done by spectres of persons not p present
resent physically,
or hearsay evidence about what ghosts or apparitions of Satan said. It was used to convict
a number of persons of witchcraft at Salem, Massachusetts in the late 17th century. The
word "spectrum" [Spektrum]
pektrum] was strictly used to designate a ghostly
optical afterimage by Goethe in his Theory of Colors and Schopenhauer in On Vision and
Colors.
The prefix "spectro-"" is used to form words relating to spectra. For example,
a spectrometer is a device used to record spectra and spectroscopy is the use of a
spectrometer for chemical analysis
analysis.

Physical science[edit]
See also: Spectrum (disambiguation) § Physical science

Diagram illustrating the electromagnetic spectrum

In the 17th century, the word spectrum was introduced into optics by Isaac Newton,
Newton
referring to the range of colorss observed when white light was dispersed through
a prism.[2] Soon the term referred to a plot of light intensity or power as a function
of frequency or wavelength,, also known as a spectral density plot.
The term spectrum was expanded to apply to other waves, such as sound waves that could
also be measured as a function of frequency, frequency spectrum and power spectrum of a
signal. The term now applies to any signal that can be measured or decomposed along a
continuous variable such as energy in electron spectroscopy or mass-to-charge
charge ratio
in mass spectrometry.. Spectrum is also used to refer to a graphical representation of the
signal as a function of the dependent variable.
Electromagnetic spectrum[edit]
Main article: Electromagnetic spectrum
Electromagnetic spectrum of a quasar.

Electromagnetic spectrum refers to the full range of all frequencies of electromagnetic

radiation[3] and also to the characteristic distribution of electromagnetic radiation emitted or
absorbed by that particular object. Devices used to measure an electromagnetic spectrum
are called spectrograph or spectrometer. The visible spectrum is the part of the
electromagnetic spectrum that can be seen by the human eye. The wavelength of visible
light ranges from 390 to 700 nm.[4] The absorption spectrum of a chemical
element or chemical compound is the spectrum of frequencies or wavelengths of incident
radiation that are absorbed by the compound due to electron transitions from a lower to a
higher energy state. The emission spectrum refers to the spectrum of radiation emitted by
the compound due to electron transitions from a higher to a lower energy state.
Light from many different sources contains various colors, each with its own brightness or
intensity. A rainbow, or prism, sends these component colors in different directions, making
them individually visible at different angles. A graph of the intensity plotted against the
frequency (showing the brightness of each color) is the frequency spectrum of the light.
When all the visible frequencies are present equally, the perceived color of the light is white,
and the spectrum is a flat line. Therefore, flat-line spectra in general are often referred to
as white, whether they represent light or another type of wave phenomenon (sound, for
example, or vibration in a structure).
In radio and telecommunications, the frequency spectrum can be shared among many
different broadcasters. The radio spectrum is the part of the electromagnetic
spectrumcorresponding to frequencies lower below 300 GHz, which corresponds to
wavelengths longer than about 1 mm. The microwave spectrum corresponds to frequencies
between 300 MHz (0.3 GHz) and 300 GHz and wavelengths between one meter and one
millimeter.[5][6] Each broadcast radio and TV station transmits a wave on an assigned
frequency range, called a channel. When many broadcasters are present, the radio
spectrum consists of the sum of all the individual channels, each carrying separate
information, spread across a wide frequency spectrum. Any particular radio receiver will
detect a single function of amplitude (voltage) vs. time. The radio then uses a tuned
circuit or tuner to select a single channel or frequency band and demodulate or decode the
information from that broadcaster. If we made a graph of the strength of each channel vs.
the frequency of the tuner, it would be the frequency spectrum of the antenna signal.
In astronomy, stellar classification is the classification of stars based on their characteristic
electromagnetic spectra. The spectral flux density is used to represent the spectrum of a
light-source, such as a star.
In radiometry and colorimetry (or color science more generally), the spectral power
distribution (SPD) of a light source is a measure of the power contributed by each frequency
or color in a light source. The light spectrum is usually measured at points (often 31) along
the visible spectrum, in wavelength space instead of frequency space, which makes it not
strictly a spectral density. Some spectrophotometers can measure increments as fine as
one to two nanometers. the values are used to calculate other specifications and then
plotted to show the spectral attributes of the source. This can be helpful in analyzing the
color characteristics of a particular source.
Mass spectrum[edit]
Mass spectrum of Titan's ionosphere

A mass spectrum is a plot of ion abundance as a function of mass-to-charge

charge ratio that is
obtained by a mass spectrometer instrument.[7]The mass spectrum can be used to
determine the quantity and mass of atoms and molecules. Tandem mass
spectrometry spectra are used to determine molecular structure.
Energy spectrum[edit]
"Energy spectrum" redirects here. It is not to be confused with Energy spectral density.
density
In physics, the energy spectrum of a particle is the number of particles or intensity of a
particle beam as a function of particle energy. Examples of techniques that produce an
energy spectrum are alpha-particle
particle spectroscopy
spectroscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy,
spectroscopy
and mass-analyzed ion-kinetic--energy spectrometry.
Discrete spectrum[edit]
Main article: Discrete spectrum
In physics, particularly in quantum mechanics
mechanics, some differential operators have discrete
spectra, with gaps between values. Common cases include the Hamiltonian and the angular
momentum operator.
Spectrogram[edit]
Main article: Spectrogram

Spectrogram of dolphin vocalizations.

In acoustics, a spectrogram is a visual representation of the frequency spectrum of sound
as a function of time or another variable.
A source of sound can have many different frequencies mixed. A Musical tone's timbre is
characterized by its harmonic spectrum. Sound in our environment that we refer to
as noise includes many different frequencies. When a sound signal contains a mixture of all
audible frequencies, distributed equally over the audio spectrum, it is called white noise.[8]
The spectrum analyzer is an instrument which can be used to convert the sound wave of
the musical note into a visual display of the constituent frequencies. This visual display is
referred to as an acoustic spectrogram. Software based audio spectrum analyzers are
available at low cost, providing easy access not only to industry professionals, but also to
academics, students and the hobbyist. The acoustic spectrogram generated by the
spectrum analyzer provides an acoustic signature of the musical note. In addition to
revealing the fundamental frequency and its overtones, the spectrogram is also useful for
analysis of the temporal attack, decay, sustain, and release of the musical note.

Biological science[edit]
Antibiotic spectrum of activity is a component of antibiotic classification. A broad-spectrum
antibiotic is active against a wide range of bacteria,[9] whereas a narrow-spectrum
antibiotic is effective against specific families of bacteria.[10] An example of a commonly used
broad-spectrum antibiotic is ampicillin.[10] An example of a narrow spectrum antibiotic
is Dicloxacillin, which acts on beta-lactamase-producing Gram-positive bacteria such
as Staphylococcus aureus.[11]
In psychiatry, the spectrum approach uses the term spectrum to describe a range of linked
conditions, sometimes also extending to include singular symptoms and traits. For example,
the autism spectrum describes a range of conditions classified as neurodevelopmental
disorders.