ACTIVITY 5

Exploring Real World Applications of Spectroscopy

Students will be tasked with researching and exploring a scientific field which utilizes spectroscopy, providing a short explanation to their classmates of the selected field and how it utilizes spectroscopy.

Today we will be tying together your previous lessons within spectroscopy and seeing how they relate to real world practices of spectroscopic and analytical sciences. It should be evident to you now that spectroscopy and spectroscopic techniques are implemented within countless everyday technologies and devices and have numerous professional applications such as pharmaceutical analysis, environmental testing and biomedicine. Current spectroscopic techniques are also commonly used within scientific research.

Dr. John Long works within the field of material science and uses atomic spectroscopy to help improve the manufacturing of construction machinery and metal equipment. The fundamental concepts of spectroscopy which underpin his research, have been demonstrated to you at the fundamental level. Using the knowledge, you have acquired from previous lessons and through Johns video, we have tasked you with researching an application of spectroscopy that is of interest to you.    

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Here are some suggested areas of research to help you get started:

• Astronomy: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/universe/questions_and_ideas/spectroscopy

• Environmental Science: https://www.csiro.au/en/Do-business/Services/Enviro/Environmental-spectroscopy

• Forensics: https://education.seattlepi.com/mass-spectroscopy-used-forensic-science-6611.html

• Health and Safety: https://oceanoptics.com/spectroscopy-health-safety/