Hollow cathode discharge is the specific embodiment of a low-pressure glow discharge which has a number of important applications. The first part explains the physics of low-pressure glow discharge in a noble gas, and depending of atomic processes on the geometry of the observed discharges. It's also include a special review of the discharge with a cylindrical cathode. The hollow cathode effect has been examined under the certain condicions. The disertation also include various applications of low pressure discharge with a hollow cathode such as: illumination, surface treatment, deposition of materials, lasers, decontamination biological samples and voltage stabilization. In addition, this disertation describes the useage of the discharge in the hollow cathode in atomic absorption spectroscopy. The measurements has been done with a hollow cathode lamp. The hollow cathode lamp has been filled up with noble gas neon and the particles of thallium. The spectral line of thallium has been measured and studied, in wich conditions will be increased the intesity of the spectral line . Finally, the methodical preparation for the lesson with the theme 'atomic spectra' has been done. The preparation has been done in a course wich corresponding for interactive research-oriented type of physics teaching.