Spectroscopy in Everyday Life

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In many chemistry courses, spectroscopy-based experiments are performed in lab. I personally find the overall topic of spectroscopic analysis fascinating and its applications can be found in numerous fields of study. But students rarely share this same level of fascination with spectroscopy and thus I asked my GenChem 1 students to find an article on how spectroscopy is used in their future career or in an area of their interest. They then had to write a short essay (100 words or more) about the article. For example, what did they learn about spectroscopy? Something they learned about their future career? Something they learned about an interest of theirs? and so on.

In addition, I am an avid backpacker and thru-hiked the 2,663-mile Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in 2011. I provide an example of how I used UV light to purify water sources (water from creeks, lakes, stagnant ponds in Oregon, etc.) along the PCT. See the video below for this UV-purification process in action.

Below are articles on how spectroscopy is utilized in various disciplines/fields.

Medical or Nursing Applications:

For Future CIA Agents/Spies:

Forensics:

Engineering:

Astronomy:

Agriculture/Dairy:

Computer Science/Engineering:

Career in the Outdoors:

Geology:

Ice cores:

Physical and Occupational Therapy:

Procedure time: 
30 minutes
Prep time: 
10 minutes
Materials: 

The only materials needed for this activity is access to a computer and curiosity about spectroscopy!

Background: 

It is most beneficial if students have experience with one or more spectroscopy activities or experiments (i.e. emission spectroscopy, absorption spectroscopy, etc) prior to this out-of-classroom activity.

Procedure: 

Students arte asked to find an article from the list provided or an article on their own on how spectroscopy is used in their future career or in an area of their interest and write a short essay (100 words or more) on the article. For example, what did they learn about spectroscopy? Something they learned about their future career? Something they learned about an interest of theirs, etc.? 

Preparation: 

Less than 10 minutes preparation time for this out-of-classroom activity.

Attribution: 

Thomas Cox