spektroskoopias

Spektroskoopias is the branch of science that studies the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter. It aims to determine the composition, concentration, structure, and physical state of substances by analyzing how they absorb, emit, or scatter light.

Core principles include energy transitions in atoms and molecules, the emission and absorption of photons, and the creation of spectral fingerprints that depend on molecular structure and environment. Spectral data are usually presented as intensity versus wavelength or frequency and interpreted with models and reference standards.

Common techniques encompass ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and fluorescence or phosphorescence spectroscopy. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, X-ray spectroscopy, and atomic emission and absorption methods are also central to the field. Mass spectrometry is frequently used alongside spectroscopic methods but is technically a separate technique, though often integrated with spectroscopic analyses.

Applications span chemistry and materials science for composition and purity, biology and medicine for molecular structure and imaging, environmental monitoring, geology and archaeology, and industrial process control and quality assurance.

History and development: spectral analysis emerged in the 19th century with discoveries about light and atomic spectra and was greatly expanded by quantum theory, laser technology, and advances in detectors and computing in the 20th century and beyond.