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Beer's Law definitions

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  • Beer's Law
    A theoretical model relating a compound's absorbance to its concentration, molar absorptivity, and path length.
  • Absorbance
    A logarithmic measure of how much light is absorbed by a sample compared to a reference at a specific wavelength.
  • Molar Absorptivity
    A compound-specific constant indicating how strongly a substance absorbs light at a given wavelength.
  • Concentration
    The amount of solute per unit volume of solution, typically expressed in moles per liter.
  • Path Length
    The width of the cuvette, in centimeters, through which light passes in a spectrophotometer.
  • Cuvette
    A small, transparent container used to hold samples or solvents in a spectrophotometer.
  • Reference Beam
    A light path passing through a cuvette containing only solvent, used for comparison in absorbance measurements.
  • Sample Beam
    A light path passing through a cuvette containing the dissolved compound, used to measure absorbance.
  • Spectrophotometer
    An instrument that measures the intensity of light absorbed by a sample at various wavelengths.
  • Monochromator
    A device that splits light into specific wavelengths for analysis in a spectrophotometer.
  • Absorbance Spectrum
    A plot showing how a sample's absorbance varies with wavelength, revealing electronic transitions.
  • UV-Vis Spectrophotometry
    A technique using ultraviolet and visible light (200–800 nm) to analyze compounds, especially conjugated systems.
  • Conjugated Compound
    A molecule with alternating double and single bonds, allowing for delocalized electrons and unique absorption properties.
  • Molecular Orbital Theory
    A model explaining electron distribution in molecules, crucial for understanding UV-Vis absorption in conjugated systems.
  • Pi Bond
    A type of covalent bond formed by sideways overlap of p orbitals, present in double bonds of conjugated systems.