ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Stark spectroscopy

Imagine you have a toy car and you want to know what it's made of. One way to find out is to shine a flashlight on it and see if the light reflects back to your eyes. This is sort of what scientists do, but instead of using a flashlight, they use a special tool called a spectroscopy.

Stark spectroscopy is one type of spectroscopy that helps scientists learn about the tiny particles that make up everything around us. These particles are called atoms, and they are so small that you can't see them with your eyes.

When scientists use stark spectroscopy, they excite the atoms by zapping them with a laser. This makes the atoms jump around and change their energy level. As the atoms calm back down, they send out light.

The light that the atoms send out is like a fingerprint that tells scientists what the atom is made of. By using stark spectroscopy, scientists can figure out things about the atom, like how many electrons it has and how its energy levels change.

In summary, stark spectroscopy is a tool that helps scientists learn about what things are made of by shining light on them and studying the light that comes back.
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