Name: Mary Rose M.

Mendoza Date Performed:

Course: Chem 122 Date Submitted:

Activity No. 2

Absorption Spectrum and Beer-Lamberts’ Law of Linearity

I. Introduction

Absorption Spectroscopy refers to spectroscopic techniques that measure the

absorption of radiation, as a function of frequency or wavelength due to its interaction
with a sample. The sample absorbs energy, i.e., photons from the radiating field. The
intensity of the absorption varies as a function of frequency, and this variation is the
absorption spectrum. Absorption spectroscopy is performed across the electromagnetic
spectrum.( “absorption Spectrometer”, n.d)

The Beer- Lambert Law is the linear relationship between absorbance and
concentration of an absorber of electromagnetic radiation. The general Beer-Labert law
is usually written as:

A=ƐbC

Where A is the measured absorbance, C is the concentration, b is the path length, Ɛ is

the molar absortivity in which values for Ɛ depend on the wavelength of electromagnetic
radiation. According to Beer’s Law, a calibration curve of absorbance versus the
concentration of analyte in a series of standard solutions should be a straight line with
an intercept of 0 and a slope of Ɛb( Harvey,2000).

The experiment was conducted with the following objectives: (1) to determine
and compare the absorption spectrum of the different concentrations of CO(NO 3)2. (2)
to illustrate the linear relationship between absorption and concentration at a particular
wavelength. (3) to illustrate deviations from Beer’s Law plot.

II. Methodology

Absorption spectrophotometer was turned on and warmed up for 20 min., two

cuvettes are used simultaneously, one for the blank solution and the other for sample.
Standard solutions of CO(NO3)2 0.05 M, 0.10M, 0.20M, 0.40M concentrations were
prepared. The absorbance was turned to zero. Always rinse the cuvette with several
portions of the solution. Do not handle the lower portion of a cuvette( through which the
light beam passes). Wipe off any liquid drops or smudges on the lower half of the
cuvette with a clean lint-free wiper. Inspect to make sure that no lint remains on the
outside and that air bubbles were not presented on the inside walls. Inserted a cuvette
simultaneously, use one of the cuvette always for the blank solution and 0.040M
CO(NO3)2 was inserted to the other sample holder and form wavelength 380nm to
700nm. Absorbance were read and recorded. Then the absorbance of 0.05M, 0.10,
0.20 M and the unknown concentration CO(NO3)2 were read and recorded accordingly.

III. Result and Discussion

In this section will show the data gathered and findings during the experiment.
The table, graph or figures will interpret and discuss its implication.

Table 1. Absorbance of 0.040 M CO(NO3)2

Wavelength(nm) Absorbance
380 0.050
400 0.089
420 0.160
440 0.367
460 0.697
480 0.909
500 1.108
520 1.105
540 0.730
560 0.341
580 0.146
600 0.096
620 0.86
640 0.078
660 0.064
680 0.49
700 0.035

In the table 1. Show the peak or λmax , λmax of the 0.040M of CO(NO 3)2 which was
500nm having the absorbance of 1.108. The maximum wavelength was used to have
the most specific wavelength maximum of 0.040M CO(NO3)2 where the previous and
next wavelength increased by 10nm, that is, 490nm-530nm at 5nm increment.
 Absorbance vs wavelength of 0.40M og CO(NO3)2
1.2

0.8
Absorbanee
0.6

0.4 Series1

0.2

0
0 200 400 600 800
Wavelength nm

Figure 1. plot of the absorbance vs wavelength in table 1.

Table 2. Absorbance of 0.040 M CO(NO3)2 from the peak of table 1

Wavelength, λ (nm) Absorbance

490 0.995
495 1.059
500 1.111
505 1.149
510 1.165
515 1.151
520 1.108
525 1.047
530 0.954

In table 2, shows the absorbance of 0.040M CO(NO3)2 using the range of

490nm-530nm which was based on the λmax in table 1. The table 2 shows the λmax
which was 505nm-515nm.
 Absorbance vs wavelength
1.4
1.2
1
AAbsorbance

0.8
0.6
Series1
0.4
0.2
0
480 490 500 510 520 530 540
wavelength

Figure 2. Plot of absorbance vs, wavelength in table 2

Table 3. Absorbance of 0.040 M CO(NO3)2 from the λmax in table 2.

Wavelength, λ (nm) Absorbance

505 1.127
506 1.135
507 1.140
508 1.145
509 1.145
510 1.150
511 1.147
512 1.144
513 1.143
514 1.141
515 1.135

In the table 3, shows the the absorbance of 0.040 CO(NO3)2 using the range of
wavelength 505nm-515nm was read and obtained. At 1nm increment to get the specific
λmax of 0.040M CO(NO3) , 510nm having absorbance of 1.150. this peak will be or was
used in determining the absorbance of CO(NO3)2 which was 524 nm. The
concentrations of CO(NO3)2 with the wavelength 510nmm was shown on the table 4.

Absorbance vs Wavelength
1.155

1.15

1.145
Absorbance

1.14

1.135 Series1

1.13

1.125
504 506 508 510 512 514 516
wavelength

Table 4. Absorbance of CO(NO3)2 Concentrations

CO(NO3)2 Absorbance

0.40M 1.136
0.20M 0.570
0.10M 0.290
0.05M 0.141
Unknown 0.087

In the table 4, the absorbance of CO(NO3)2 concentrations based on the

determined peak in table 3 which was the wavelength of 505nm-515nm. As shown in
table 4 CO(NO3)2 of low concentration have low absorbance. The unknown
concentration has the absorbance of 0.087., 0.040M has 1.136 of absorbance and
0.20M of CO(NO3)2 has 0.570 of absorbance so unknown having the absorbance of
0.087 must fall between 0.40M and 0.20 of CO(NO3)2 of its concentration.

The Lambert-beer Law or Beer’s Law was used to check the linearity of the
absorbance of CO(NO3)2 against absorbance. A concentration vs absorbance in table 4
was plotted in figure 4. It was also plotted the wavelength vs absorbance from table 1,2
and 3 to show its absorption spectrum and λmax in a figure 1, 2 and 3.

Standard Calibration of Co(NO3)2 at 510 nm

1.2

0.8
Absorbance

0.6
y = 2.8445x Absorbance
0.4 R² = 1
Linear (Absorbance)

0.2

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
Concentration

IV. Conclusion

Based on the data gathered, the absorbance of the concentration was used to
obtained the maximum wavelength (λmax) of 0.040M CO(NO3)2 505nm-515nm. The
trend of the concentration of CO(NO3)2 was low, low absorbance and high
concentration, low concentration. The unknown concentration is

V. Reference

1. Absorption Spectroscopy(n.d) Retrieved from https://www.andor.com

2.

VI. Appendix
Concentration of unknown:

y=mx+b

y=