ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Mapping spectrum

When we talk about mapping the spectrum, we're talking about something called color. You know how some things are red and some things are blue and some things are green? Those are all different colors, and they each have their own special spot on what we call the "spectrum."

Now, when we map the spectrum, we're basically just making a helpful chart or graph that shows us where all the different colors belong. It's like a big rainbow, but instead of just seeing the colors, we can actually measure them and put them in order.

Scientists and other smart people use this spectrum to study things like light and energy, and also to figure out what things are made of. They can look at something's spectrum and see which colors are present, and from that they can tell what the object is made of.

So, mapping the spectrum is like making a super cool and colorful map of all the different colors in the world, and it helps us understand more about the things around us!