spectroscopy
/ˌspɛk.trəˈskɒp.ɪ/ IELTSAcademic
noun
Spectroscopy is the study of how light or other radiation interacts with matter. Scientists use it to find what something is made of.
- Spectroscopy helped identify the unknown metal.
- She studied spectroscopy in chemistry class.
Adinary Nuance
Spectroscopy is more specific than analysis, because it uses light or radiation to study a substance. It is also narrower than microscopy, which looks at tiny objects directly through a lens. In science writing, spectroscopy usually means a method for identifying materials from their spectra.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- phổ học
- Spanish
- espectroscopia
- Chinese
- 光谱学
- Japanese
- 分光学
- Korean
- 분광학
Etymology
Spectroscopy comes from Greek words meaning 'look' and 'watching.' It entered English in the 19th century, when scientists began studying light in a more exact way.
Common phrases
spectroscopy techniqueinfrared spectroscopymass spectroscopyspectroscopy results
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is spectroscopy used in chemistry or physics?
- It is used in both, especially in chemistry, physics, and astronomy.
- What is the difference between spectroscopy and microscopy?
- Spectroscopy studies light and spectra. Microscopy studies tiny objects with a microscope.
- Is spectroscopy a common word in academic English?
- Yes. It is common in science classes, research papers, and lab work.