1859

Analytical spectroscopy

• Flame emission spectroscopy
• came before the Bunsen burner,
• but the Bunsen burner provided
• a cleaner, more consistent flame.
• Glue a sample to a platinum wire
• and stick it into the flame,
• heating the sample to glowing atoms,
• then pass their light through a defraction grating.
• Each element has a characteristic
• pattern of wavelengths,
• its spectrum, produced
• by their spectroscope.
• Bunsen and Kirchoff began
• to systematically correlate
• chemical elements and chemical compounds
• with their spectra
• linking absorption and emission lines,
• and establishing
• that spectroscopy can be used to analyze
• trace chemicals in a sample.

Three laws

• 1
• You get a continuous spectrum
• from any incandescent material under high pressure.
• 2
• You get an emission-line spectrum
• from a hot gas under low pressure.
• 3
• You get an absorption-line spectrum
• from passing a continuous spectrum through a cool gas.

Analysis

• I think I could
• figure out anything,
• given the right tools
• and enough time.
• Rocket scientist,
• brain surgeon,
• brain surgeon for a rocket scientist.
• At least I’m persistent.
• If you pay me well,
• I’d buy an analyst’s couch,
• and I’d be willing
• for you to do the talking.