What Can Spectrophotometry Be Used for?

Spectrophotometry applications are useful to measure the absorbance, reflectance, and transmission of light by gases, liquids, and solids.

What are the uses of a spectrophotometer?

A spectrophotometer is an analytical instrument used to quantitatively measure the transmission or reflection of visible light, UV light or infrared light. Spectrophotometers measure intensity as a function of light source wavelength.

How can spectrophotometry be used in real life?

The amazing thing about spectrophotometry is that it can theoretically be used to measure any substance that absorbs light. For instance, spectrophotometry can quantify nucleic acids, proteins and bacterial density, but it also can measure bitterness compounds (IBUs, international bitterness units) in brewed beer!