Organic Chemistry
Study of carbon-containing compounds and their reactions.
Advanced Topics
Spectroscopy and Organic Analysis
Seeing the Invisible
How do chemists know what they’ve made? Spectroscopy is the toolkit for identifying and analyzing organic molecules.
Major Techniques
- Infrared (IR) Spectroscopy: Identifies functional groups by their vibrations.
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy: Reveals the arrangement of atoms.
- Mass Spectrometry (MS): Measures molecular weights and fragments.
Why It’s Important
These techniques let scientists confirm structures, detect impurities, and understand complex mixtures.
In the Real World
Spectroscopy is vital in pharmaceuticals, forensics, and environmental monitoring.
Examples
NMR spectroscopy is used to check the purity of drugs.
Mass spectrometry helps detect banned substances in athletes.
In a Nutshell
Spectroscopy helps identify organic compounds and determine their structures.