The interaction of light with matter can reveal a great deal of information about the characteristics and nature of your sample material. When electromagnetic energy in the form of ultraviolet, visible or near-infrared light strikes the surface of a material, that energy is transmitted, reflected or absorbed or, most likely, some combination of these. How the light behaves when it hits a surface depends on physical characteristics, structure and chemical properties of the material.

Physical Laws Governing Light Behavior

In analyzing light spectra, there are several well documented scientific principles governing the behavior of light that help us make sense of the collected data. Developing reference standards adds further utility to spectra data, allowing researchers and scientists around the world to share understanding and a common vocabulary.

One of the most common and essential physical law that spectroscopists use is the Beer-Lambert law which explains light attenuation in relation to the physical properties of the sample and states that transmission is proportional to a sample’s optical depth and the concentration of the absorbing species in a material sample.