Final answer:
If you were looking at the spectra of light coming from the sun, the type of spectrum that would be absorbed is the absorption spectrum. It shows dark lines where light is absorbed by atoms in the sun's atmosphere. This is crucial for studying the sun's composition.
Step-by-step explanation:
When looking at the spectra of light coming from the sun, the type of spectrum that would be absorbed is the absorption spectrum. The absorption spectrum consists of dark lines or patterns where light has been absorbed by the atoms in the sun's cooler outer atmosphere, leaving specific wavelengths absent in the observed spectrum. Conversely, an emission spectrum would show bright lines at specific wavelengths where light has been emitted by excited atoms, and a continuous spectrum would show all wavelengths without any gaps.
The observation of dark lines in the solar spectrum provides evidence of the absorption of certain wavelengths by chemical elements in the solar atmosphere, helping us to deduce the sun's composition. This same principle of spectroscopy is used to determine the composition of other stars and interstellar matter. Notably, the element helium was first found in the sun before being discovered on Earth, thanks to its unique absorption lines in the solar spectrum.