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A:
Each element has a different atomic structure, causing it to
produce (or absorb) a different set of wavelengths. It's the
actions of the electrons (tiny particles that surround the
much heavier nucleus) jumping between different orbitals
(the many places where the probability of finding an
electron is the greatest) that produce the signature
spectrum for an element.
When light (or other energy) is
absorbed by the atom, an electron jumps from a low energy
orbital to a higher energy orbital. When an electron returns
to a less energetic orbital, light (or other electromagnetic
radiation) is generated. There are actually many high energy
orbitals that an electron can move to, so you can get
emitted light in several different wavelengths. The bigger
the difference in energy of the orbitals, the shorter the
wave length of the light produced (or absorbed).
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