What is a common application of IR spectroscopy in environmental analysis?
Practice Questions
Q1
What is a common application of IR spectroscopy in environmental analysis?
Measuring pH levels
Identifying pollutants
Determining molecular weight
Separating mixtures
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
What is a common application of IR spectroscopy in environmental analysis?
Step 1: Understand what IR spectroscopy is. It is a technique that uses infrared light to identify different substances based on how they absorb that light.
Step 2: Know that pollutants are harmful substances found in the environment, like chemicals in water or air.
Step 3: Learn that every substance has specific functional groups, which are parts of molecules that determine how they behave and interact.
Step 4: Realize that IR spectroscopy can detect these functional groups by measuring the light absorbed by the sample.
Step 5: Conclude that by identifying these functional groups, scientists can determine what pollutants are present in environmental samples.
