NexGen Spectrum Tube, Nitrogen

Show nitrogen's complex molecular emission spectrum in the classroom

The NexGen Spectrum Tube, Nitrogen contains nitrogen gas and runs on the NexGen Spectrum Tube Power Supply. When energized, it produces a pink-violet glow. Through a spectroscope, the light reveals a complex band spectrum spread across the violet and red regions of the visible range, with many of the brightest features concentrated toward the blue-violet end.

Nitrogen makes up 78% of Earth's atmosphere, yet its spectrum in a gas discharge tube looks nothing like what most students expect from "just air." Molecular nitrogen (N2) produces band emission from electronic transitions combined with vibrational modes, creating a banded structure distinct from the sharp lines of noble gas tubes. Comparing the nitrogen tube to an argon or neon tube in the same lab makes the atom-vs-molecule spectral distinction concrete, and comparing it to the air tube shows students how nitrogen dominates Earth's atmospheric emission signature.

Why Teachers Love It

• Connects the Classroom to Auroras and Atmospheric Glow – The nitrogen spectrum explains the blue-violet and pink tones visible in auroras and atmospheric airglow. Students see a direct link between the tube on the bench and the physics of the night sky, including the emission signatures of other planetary atmospheres.

• Built for Long-Term Classroom Use – No internal electrodes means the tube resists the wear that shortens conventional spectrum tube life. A hard polymer shell protects the glass from everyday bumps and drops.

• Continuous Use with the NexGen Power Supply – No timing restrictions. Students read band positions and compare them to other spectra at their own pace.