What characteristic color light is emitted by super-heated Nitrogen (N2) and Oxygen (O) atoms?
Answer
red
The light observed from a meteor is not solely produced by the vaporized material of the space rock; the super-heated surrounding atmosphere also contributes significantly to the visual display. When the atmospheric gases, primarily composed of nitrogen ($ ext{N}_2$) and oxygen ($ ext{O}$), become ionized due to the extreme heat of entry, they emit light characteristic of their specific emission spectra. Both nitrogen and oxygen atoms reliably produce a distinct red light when excited to these high energy states. If a meteor is moving slower, this pervasive red glow from the atmosphere is more likely to influence or even dominate the overall perceived color of the streak.
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