HOW IT WORKS

• WHY DOES INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY WORK?

  a pair of atoms joined by a chemical bond is always vibrating
• IF A CHEMICAL BOND IS STRONGER WHAT HAPPENS TO THE VIBRATING?

  faster (higher frequency)
• IF AN ATOM IS HEAVIER WHAT HAPPENS TO THE VIBRATING?

  slower (lower frequency)
• WHAT HAPPENS IN INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY?

  beam of infrared radiation is shined at the sample and the bonds absorb the energy and vibrate more
• WHY CAN WE MEASURE THE BONDS FROM INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY?

  bonds can only absorb radiation at the same frequency as the natural frequency of the bond
• WHAT CORRESPONDS TO THE BOND FREQUENCY ON THE GRAPH?

  missing frequencies