Difference Between Spectroscopy And Spectrophotometry, And Other Related Term

Difference Between Spectroscopy And Spectrophotometry, And Other Related Term ~ When you are browsing to look for an international journal and other related articles as reference material, we often find two terms that initially we consider it as same. Spectrometry and spectrophotometry. As well as other terms that make us confused as spectroscopy, spectrometer, spectrophotometer, and so forth. If you are an analyst chemistry or other related disciplines, of course, certainly are familiar with those words.

Spectrometry and spectrophotometry closely related to chemical analysis commonly used in the qualitative and quantitative analysis. In the field of chemistry, there are a few other terms that are close to the word spectrometry. For example such as spectroscopy, spectrophotometry, spectrometers, and other. But what sets it apart actually?

Spectroscopy

Spectroscopy is the study of the interaction between light with atoms and molecules as a function of wavelength. Light or electromagnetic radiation can be considered to resemble a wave. Initially, spectroscopy only refers to the dispersion of visible light by wavelength (e.g., by a prism). Furthermore, this concept evolved to refer to any form of quantitative measurements as a function of wavelength and frequency, not only just visible light.

Thus, this term can also refer to the interaction of particle radiation or response to a wide range of frequencies. So, spectroscopy is the term used in science (in theory) which studied the relationship between radiation/energy/light (which has the function of wavelength, commonly referred to as frequency) with objects. The combination of the frequency response is known as a spectrum.

Spectrometry is a technique used to measure the amount (concentration) of a substance based on spectroscopy. The instrument that is used called spectrometer. So, there are three different terms. Spectroscopy, spectrometry, and spectrometer. Spectroscopy refers to the fields of science, spectrometry is a technique of application based on spectroscopy, while the spectrometer is a device/instrument used in spectrometry techniques.

Spectrophotometry

Spectrophotometry is an analysis method based on the measurement of monochromatic light absorption by a strip of colored solutions at the particular wavelength by using a monochromator prism or diffraction grating with a phototube detector. In simple terms, the definition of spectrophotometry is a measurement of light energy absorption of a chemical system as a function of wavelength and radiation. Spectrophotometry can be considered as an extension of a visual inspection with a deeper study of the absorption of energy. Absorption of radiation by a sample is measured at various wavelengths and transmitted by a recorder to produce a particular spectrum which is typical for the different components. More specifically at a particular wavelength, such as UV (Ultraviolet), visible, and infrared. Such as spectrometry, a spectrophotometer is a tool to measure the transmittance or absorbance of a sample as a function of wavelength. While measurement using this spectrophotometer, the method used is often called by spectrophotometry. A spectrophotometer can measure intensity as a function of the color, or more specifically, the function of wavelength.

That is why, for UV/Vis called UV-Vis spectrophotometer, not Uv-Vis Spectrometer. Actually, there is nothing wrong in using the term spectrometers for the UV-Vis. However, it seems less precise. Because in my opinion, the word "spectrometer" contains a broader meaning than the "spectrophotometer."