What Does Spectrophotometer Measures?

In the world of colors, the spectrophotometer is a commonly used term. A spectrophotometer is a color analysis device that is used in most of the laboratories and industries to measure the absorbance offered by a chemical solution when light passes through it. The portable spectrophotometry can be used for analyzing the concentration of the primary colors in the solution that contribute to its overall appearance. Every color absorbs a certain wavelength of light, and certain wavelength of light is transmitted or reflected by the same solution. The procedure of light absorption is can be used for the purpose of determining the chemical substance as well.

Working principle of Portable Spectrophotometry

The working of a spectrophotometer is based on the Beer’s Law, or Beer-Lambert’s Law which can be expressed as the amount of light absorbed by a solution is directly proportional to the concentration of the solution. The mathematical expression for Beer’s Law can be given as

Where A is the absorbance of the solution or sample, ε is the molar extinction coefficient or molar absorptivity or absorption coefficient.l is the path length and c is the concentration of the solution. The absorption coefficient is constant for a given chemical solution, and it can vary with every molecule.

Types of Spectrophotometers

There are two instruments used in a spectrophotometer that is spectrometer that is used for creating the desired wavelength of light and the photometer which is used for measuring the intensity of transmitted light.   The instruments are designed in such a way that the liquid is placed in a cuvette which lies between the spectrometer and the photometer. When the spectrometer sends a beam of light to the liquid, the liquid absorbs some part of the beam and rest is transmitted to the photometer which then measures the intensity of the transmitted light.

Uses of Portable Spectrophotometer

The spectrophotometry is used in industries and laboratories for measuring the light absorbency of a variety of materials and products. Some of the materials that are tested through spectrophotometers are as follows.

• They can be used for measuring the concentration of the chemical compounds and solutions that are used for different experiments in laboratories.
• The spectrophotometers can be used for measuring the color concentration in different food ingredients and food products.
• The instrument is also used for testing the colors intensity of textile materials and products to ensure that the best processing of such materials.

Testronix offers highly efficient and accurate spectrophotometers that have been used in many different industries to ensure the best color quality of products. The instruments offer a high rate of repeatability with very less scope for errors between two measurements.