Qib 11 tau kawm txog cov qauv ntawm cov atoms, suav nrog cov teebmeem ntawm electron excitation. Cov xim hauv daim duab yog tsim los ntawm cov khoom siv hluav taws xob hauv cov hlau ions ua "zoo siab" tom qab siv lub zog los ntawm cov txheej txheem hu ua "absorption". Thaum cov hluav taws xob poob zog dua, lawv tawm cov yam ntxwv wavelengths ntawm lub teeb thiab peb tuaj yeem txheeb xyuas cov hlau los ntawm cov spectrum uas lawv tawm. Qhov kev sim no qhia txog lub tswv yim ntawm quantum hloov hauv kev npaj ntawm electrons, uas yog ib qho tseem ceeb qhia txog yuav ua li cas atoms ua hauj lwm. Cov hlau siv no feem ntau pom muaj nyob rau hauv foob pob hluav taws los muab lawv cov yam ntxwv xim.