Chapter 21 Spectroscopic Methods of Analysis M.PPTVIP

Chapter 24Introduction to Spectrochemical Methods Measurements based on light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation are widely used throughout analytical chemistry. The interactions of radiation and matter are the subject of the science called spectroscopy. Spectroscopic analytical methods are based on measuring the amount of radiation produced or absorbed by molecular or atomic species of interest. Classification We can classify spectroscopic methods according to the region of the electromagnetic spectrum involved in the measurement. The regions include ?–ray, X-ray, ultraviolet (UV), visible, infrared (IR), microwave, and radio frequency (RF). Spectrochemical methods have provided the most widely used tools for the elucidation of molecular structure as well as the quantitative and qualitative determination of both inorganic and organic compounds. Properties of Electromagnetic Radiation Electromagnetic radiation is a form of energy that is transmitted through space at enormous velocities. Electromagnetic radiation can be described as a wave with properties of wavelength, frequency, velocity, and amplitude. In contrast to sound waves, light requires no supporting medium for its transmission; thus, it readily passes through a vacuum. Electromagnetic radiation can be treated as discrete packets of energy or particles called photons or quanta. These dual views of radiation as particles and waves are not mutually exclusive but complementary. The Speed of Light In a vacuum, the velocity (c) of light is 2.99792 x 108 m s-1 and the velocity of light in air is about 0.03% less. Thus, for a vacuum, or for air, the velocity of light: c =?? = 3.00 x 108m s-1 = 3.00 x 1010 cm s-1 In a medium containing matter, light travels with a velocity less than c because of interaction between the electromagnetic field and electrons in the atoms or molecules of the medium. Since the frequency of the radiation is constant, the wavelength must decrease as the ligh