Infrared spectroscopy uses a spectrometer to detect infrared radiation and study the interaction between radiation and objects. It can be used to identify unknown substances and test for impurities. Results can be viewed and analyzed using computer programs.
Infrared spectroscopy is a branch of spectroscopy that focuses on the infrared area of the electromagnetic spectrum. This area of the spectrum lies between the visible spectrum and the microwave spectrum. People are often aware of infrared radiation because it can produce heat, making it something that can be felt even if it can’t be seen or heard, but it also has a number of other characteristics that make it interesting to people like chemists.
Spectroscopy in general is a discipline that involves learning more about the interaction between radiation and the objects it comes into contact with. One of the key tools of spectroscopy is a spectrometer, a device that can detect various wavelengths of energy. In the case of infrared spectroscopy, researchers are specifically interested in infrared radiation and use spectrometers calibrated to work with this type of radiation.
In a simple example of how infrared spectroscopy might be used, a researcher or forensic technician might be confronted with an unknown substance. To learn more about the substance, a sample could be placed into a spectrometer and subjected to infrared radiation to excite the molecules within. Some of the radiation will be absorbed, which can be read by the spectrometer, and some will not, which can also be detected by the device. The device returns a printout showing how much radiation has been absorbed and which areas of the infrared spectrum have been affected.
Classically, infrared spectroscopy produces a printout with a number of peaks at specific points. These peaks can be correlated with graphs detailing the spectroscopy results of known substances. The researcher can see if there are any substances with similar infrared “signatures” to identify the unknown sample. Infrared spectroscopy can also be used to profile a known material, to test for impurities and defects by checking for telltale signs of signatures that don’t belong, and so on.
This type of work takes place in a laboratory equipped with a spectroscope and equipment that can be used to analyze the output. Many people use computer programs to view spectroscopy results, as computer results can be easily manipulated and studied. People can also compare other results with the use of overlays and compositing programs, an activity many people may have seen in crime shows where mystery substances are identified with the use of spectroscopy techniques.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
