Ocean Optics Overture - Manual (Page 42)

Chapter 5 Applications
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Chemistry applications
Following are some of the color-related experiments that can be carried out with your spectrometer
system.
Spectral signatures
Chlorophylls and food colorings in solution can be identified by their absorbance ‘fingerprint’.
Olive oils of different quality show very different absorption depending on the amount of chlorophyll
they contain.
Flame tests
The spectrometer detects sharp emission peaks even when these are invisible to the human eye.
Multiple elements can be observed. This reinforces understanding of advanced spectroscopic techniques
that show multiple peaks.
Common foods like potato snacks and dried banana chips show distinct emission peaks when heated.
Bananas show a potassium doublet. Salted snacks show sodium and some containing LoSalt (Potassium
Chloride) show a strong potassium line.
The problem of sodium contamination is removed because the spectrometer is a polychromator and sees
all wavelengths at the same time. The sensitivity and speed of the spectrometer allows momentary
emission spectra to be recorded using the snapshot tool.
Transmission, absorbance and the concept of Absorbance
Number
Transmission % = (Sλ – Dλ / Rλ – Dλ) x 100
Absorbance = - log10 (Sλ – Dλ / Rλ – Dλ)
Beers law using KMnO
4
Determination of the pKa of bromocresol green
Finding the isosbestic point using the snapshot tool.