Spectroscopy — UV-Vis, IR, NMR

What you'll learn

1. 1

   Imagine you have a secret code that tells you what's inside a fizzy drink can without opening it. Spectroscopy is like that — it uses light to read the 'fingerprint' of molecules!

2. 2

   UV-Vis spectroscopy shines ultraviolet and visible light through a sample. The machine measures how much light is absorbed at each colour.

3. 3

   Let's read a UV-Vis spectrum together. This molecule absorbs at 450 nm — that's blue light. What colour would the solution appear?

4. 4

   If a molecule absorbs red light (700 nm), what colour will the solution appear?

5. 5

   IR spectroscopy is like listening to the 'vibrations' of bonds in a molecule. Each bond type (like C=O or O-H) has a unique 'note' it plays when hit with infrared light.

6. 6

   Match the IR peak to the bond type: A strong dip at 1700 cm⁻¹ means which bond?

7. 7

   NMR spectroscopy uses a giant magnet to 'feel' the environment around hydrogen atoms. Each hydrogen nucleus gives a signal at a different chemical shift (like a radio station).

8. 8

   In an NMR spectrum, what does the number of peaks tell you?