Definition of a Spectrometer
Merriam-Webster defines a spectrometer as an instrument that studies how matter interacts with light, measuring a substance's electromagnetic radiation and separating it into its unique color spectrum for analysis.
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Etymology
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Spectrometer combines the Latin "spectrum"---meaning image or apparition---and the Latin "metrum," or the Greek "metron," both meaning measure.
Spectra
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Every substance's molecules emit a unique pattern of light when sufficiently heated. Determined by its atomic makeup, it reveals itself as a band of lines called a line spectrum. Analysis of this spectrum reveals important information about a substance's composition and structure. It is utilized in chemistry, astronomy, medicine and physics.
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The Basic Spectometer
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It is housed in a container that blocks all light except that being studied. Light enters through a slit, passing through a collimating lens, turning the light into a beam of parallel light rays. The rays then refract through a prism or grooved mirror---called a grating---that splits the light into its unique spectrum. Another lens focuses the light onto the exit slit, one color at a time. A circular scale records the angle of the prism, which is rotated slowly to reveal the entire spectrum and determine the light's wavelengths.
Types
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Each type of spectrometer examines a small portion of the vast electromagnetic spectrum. These are: spectroscopes, which provide visual observation of spectra via telescope; spectrographs, which provide pictographic viewing of spectra via a photographic plate and spectrophotometers, which allow viewing of the visible spectrum by measuring the brightness of each of its colors.
Remembering the Electromagnetic Spectrum
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The electromagnetic spectrum consists of Gama rays, X-rays, Ultra-Violet rays, Visible light, Infrared rays, Microwaves and Radio waves. An easy way to remember this is the mnemonic sentence: Grant eXpects Unanimous Votes In Movie Reviews.
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References
- Photo Credit light bulb and rainbow image by Gina Rothfels from Fotolia.com
