What Is a Color Spectrometer?
Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation that physicists consider to be both particles and waves. The distance between the crests or tops of a light wave, called the wavelength, determines the color of the light. A color spectrometer is an instrument that gathers this information for scientific analysis.
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Significance
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The visible light region forms a color spectrum that ranges from red, the longest visible-light wavelength, to violet, the shortest. Each form of matter reflects and absorbs different wavelengths and amounts of light in a unique array. A color spectrometer detects and records these spectral signatures.
How It Works
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A color spectrometer uses a diffraction grating that works like a prism to separate the light entering the spectrometer into its different wavelengths or colors. Electronic receptors measure the amount of each color, or wavelength, and convert the data into electronic signals for scientists to analyze. Many color spectrometers detect infrared or ultraviolet radiation in addition to visible light.
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Uses
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Color spectrometers provide information about solids and gases. The ability to operate remotely and return data by radio makes them useful in studying gases emitted by volcanoes and in space missions where they gather information about the composition of other planets and their atmospheres. Color spectrometers also assist chemists in determining which forms of minerals are present in ore samples.
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References
- Oracle Think Quest: The Physics of Light
- University of Tennessee Department of Physic & Astronomy: The Electromagnetic Spectrum
- Cassini VIMS Science Investigations: Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer
- MESSENGER: Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer
- NASA: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
- Photo Credit saturn image by goce risteski from Fotolia.com
