An infrared spectrometer is an analytical instrument that measures how a sample absorbs or transmits infrared light across a range of wavelengths, producing a spectrum whose pattern of absorption bands corresponds to the characteristic vibrations of particular chemical bonds within the sample, making the technique a powerful tool for identifying chemical structure and composition. The technique developed through the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries following the discovery of infrared radiation itself, and became a routine laboratory tool after the Second World War with the availability of reliable commercial infrared spectrophotometers, later advanced by the development of Fourier-transform infrared instruments, which measure all wavelengths simultaneously for much faster and more precise analysis. Infrared spectrometers are now used extensively across organic and inorganic chemistry, pharmaceutical analysis, materials science, forensic science and environmental monitoring, wherever a chemist needs to confirm the functional groups and structure present in an unknown or synthesized compound.
Facts
MeasuresSourced to the subject's own accountThe interaction of infrared radiation with matter, by absorption, emission or reflection, used to identify chemical substances and functional groups. 1 Operating PrincipleSourced to the subject's own accountMolecules absorb infrared frequencies that are characteristic of their own structure, at resonant frequencies matching their vibrational modes. 1 Operating RangeSourced to the subject's own accountThe mid-infrared band, roughly 4,000 to 400 reciprocal centimeters (2.5 to 25 micrometers), is the region generally used to study fundamental molecular vibrations. 1 Classification
Instrument ClassSourced to the subject's own account Connections
Used In
Infrared spectrometry identifies molecular functional groups from characteristic vibrational absorption bands, a standard analytical chemistry technique.
Sources
1. Infrared Spectroscopy (Wikipedia)
WikipediaLead section, opening sentence
Infrared spectroscopy (IR spectroscopy or vibrational spectroscopy) is the measurement of the interaction of infrared radiation with matter by absorption, emission, or reflection.
Theory section
Infrared spectroscopy exploits the fact that molecules absorb frequencies that are characteristic of their structure.
Lead section
The mid-infrared, approximately 4,000-400 cm−1 (2.5-25 μm) is generally used to study the fundamental vibrations and associated rotational-vibrational structure.
Lede, instrument class
An infrared spectrometer is an analytical instrument that measures how a sample absorbs or transmits infrared light across a range of wavelengths, producing a spectrum whose pattern of absorption bands corresponds to the characteristic vibrations of particular chemical bonds within the sample, making the technique a powerful tool for identifying chemical structure and composition.
View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.