Absorption Vs. Ultraviolet-Visible Range Spectrophotometry

By Randy Klimek

Spectrophotometry is a technique employed when quantitative measurement and analysis of specific spectra of light is required. From simple quality assurance techniques to advanced chemical analysis, spectrophotometry is a robust and widely used process that spans multiple disciplines and industries. Because there are many different types of light, and because the tools and techniques used to measure and quantify them are also different, there are specific tools that must be used depending on the type or spectrum of light that needs to be measured.

Spectrophotometry is a technique employed in many disciplines such as engineering, chemistry, and biology. It’s used to quantify the reflective and transmissive properties of a material in terms of wavelengths of light that the material are exposed to. Because there are many types of light, such as visible and infra-red light, there are multiple types of spectrophotometry that each correspond to a specific regions of the light spectrum. As such, there are also different types of spectrophotometer, each with specific capabilities that provide for different uses and types of analysis. Among the different types of spectrophotometry, there are two primary methods employed; absorption spectrophotometry, which is concerned with the absorption of radiation and specific spectra of light, and Ultraviolet-Visible Range spectrophotometry, which is concerned with the reflectance of specific spectra of a given material. Each of these methods of analysis has specific uses, and also each have corresponding tools that are specific to that type of analysis.