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| title | chunk | source | category | tags | date_saved | instance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spectroscopy | 5/5 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectroscopy | reference | science, encyclopedia | 2026-05-05T13:33:39.825730+00:00 | kb-cron |
Determining the atomic structure of a sample Studying spectral emission lines of the sun and distant galaxies Space exploration Cure monitoring of composites using optical fibers. Estimating weathered wood exposure times using near infrared spectroscopy Measurement of different compounds in food samples by absorption spectroscopy both in visible and infrared spectrum Measurement of toxic compounds in blood samples Non-destructive elemental analysis by X-ray fluorescence Electronic structure research with various spectroscopes Redshift to determine the speed and velocity of a distant object Determining the metabolic structure of a muscle Monitoring dissolved oxygen content in freshwater and marine ecosystems Altering the structure of drugs to improve effectiveness Characterization of proteins Respiratory gas analysis in hospitals Finding the physical properties of a distant star or nearby exoplanet using the Relativistic Doppler effect. In-ovo sexing: spectroscopy allows to determine the sex of the egg while it is hatching. Developed by French and German companies, both countries decided to ban chick culling, mostly done through a macerator, in 2022. Process monitoring in Industrial process control
== History ==
The history of spectroscopy began with Isaac Newton's optics experiments (1666–1672). According to Andrew Fraknoi and David Morrison, "In 1672, in the first paper that he submitted to the Royal Society, Isaac Newton described an experiment in which he permitted sunlight to pass through a small hole and then through a prism. Newton found that sunlight, which looks white to us, is actually made up of a mixture of all the colors of the rainbow." Newton applied the word "spectrum" to describe the rainbow of colors that combine to form white light and that are revealed when the white light is passed through a prism. Fraknoi and Morrison state that "In 1802, William Hyde Wollaston built an improved spectrometer that included a lens to focus the Sun's spectrum on a screen. Upon use, Wollaston realized that the colors were not spread uniformly, but instead had missing patches of colors, which appeared as dark bands in the spectrum." During the early 1800s, Joseph von Fraunhofer made experimental advances with dispersive spectrometers that enabled spectroscopy to become a more precise and quantitative scientific technique. Since then, spectroscopy has played and continues to play a significant role in chemistry, physics, and astronomy. Per Fraknoi and Morrison, "Later, in 1815, German physicist Joseph Fraunhofer examined the solar spectrum, and found about 600 such dark lines (missing colors), are now known as Fraunhofer lines, or Absorption lines." Spectra of atoms and molecules often consist of a series of spectral lines, each one representing a resonance between two different quantum states. The explanation of these series, and the spectral patterns associated with them, were one of the experimental enigmas that drove the development and acceptance of quantum mechanics. The hydrogen spectral series in particular was first successfully explained by the Rutherford–Bohr quantum model of the hydrogen atom. In some cases spectral lines are well separated and distinguishable, but spectral lines can overlap and appear to be a single transition if the density of energy states is high enough. Named series of lines include the principal, sharp, diffuse and fundamental series.
== Hobbyist == Spectroscopy has emerged as a growing practice within the maker movement, enabling hobbyists and educators to construct functional spectrometers using readily available materials. Utilizing components like CD/DVD diffraction gratings, smartphones, and 3D-printed parts, these instruments offer a hands-on approach to understanding light and matter interactions. Smartphone applications along with open-source tools facilitate integration, greatly simplify the capturing and analysis of spectral data. While limitations in resolution, calibration accuracy, and stray light management exist compared to professional equipment, DIY spectroscopy provides valuable educational experiences and contributes to citizen science initiatives, fostering accessibility to spectroscopic techniques.
== See also ==
== References ==
== Further reading == John M. Chalmers; Peter Griffiths, eds. (2006). Handbook of Vibrational Spectroscopy. New York: Wiley. doi:10.1002/0470027320. ISBN 978-0-471-98847-2. Jerry Workman; Art Springsteen, eds. (1998). Applied Spectroscopy. Boston: Academic Press. ISBN 978-0-08-052749-9. Peter M. Skrabal (2012). Spectroscopy - An interdisciplinary integral description of spectroscopy from UV to NMR (e-book). ETH Zurich: vdf Hochschulverlag AG. doi:10.3218/3385-4. ISBN 978-3-7281-3385-4. S2CID 244026324.
== External links ==
NIST Atomic Spectroscopy Databases MIT Spectroscopy Lab's History of Spectroscopy Timeline of Spectroscopy Spectroscopy: Reading the Rainbow