How is IR spectroscopy read?
1 Answer
Sep 8, 2016
Infra red spectroscopy is read or interpreted by identifying where in the infra red spectrum a functional group in a molecule vibrates.
Explanation:
when a molecule is put into an infra red spectrophotometer the molecule is subjected to infra red light which causes the bonds to vibrate at certain wavenumbers and these can be plotted out on paper and measured in reciprocal centimetres. For example carbonyl compounds carbonyl groups stretch around 1600 to 1800 reciprocal centimetres and hydroxy around 4000 to 3500 reciprocal centimetres. This is their wavenumber.
