What is infrared spectroscopy?

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy is an analytical technique that uses the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to identify and study chemicals. A sample is exposed to infrared radiation, and the absorption and transmission of the radiation are measured. The resulting IR spectrum, which plots absorption versus frequency, provides a unique 'fingerprint' of the sample. It is commonly used to identify substances, determine their structure, and quantify the amount of a specific component in a mixture across diverse fields like chemistry, materials science, and environmental monitoring.