Atomic Emission Spectrometers

In atomic emission spectroscopy, a sample is exposed to an electrical arc, a flame, or plasma to generate excited state atoms that are capable of emitting light. The unique emission spectrum of a sample can then be harnessed for a qualitative and quantitative identification of elements in that sample. The spectra of specimens with many elements can be packed tightly together and the spectral parting of adjacent atomic transitions demands a high-resolution spectrometer. For a "quantitative" investigation, the power of light emitted at precise wavelengths related to specific elements is measured. The emission strength at a wavelength will be directly related to the amount of atoms of a particular element for that wavelength.