Absorption spectroscopy works as an analytical chemistry tool that can determine if a particular substance is present in a sample and often also quantify how much of the substance is present. Infrared and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy is particularly common in these kinds of analytical applications.

What does absorption mean in spectroscopy?

Absorption spectroscopy measures how much light is absorbed by a sample over a range of wavelengths defined by the electromagnetic spectra [17]. The wavelength at which a chemical component absorbs light is a function of the type of ion or molecule that is being monitored.

Why is it called absorption spectrum?

The sample absorbs energy, i.e., photons, from the radiating field. The intensity of the absorption varies as a function of frequency, and this variation is the absorption spectrum.