Quiz 3 Flashcards
What is Atomic Absorption?
sample absorbs external radiation
How does AA compare to molecular absorption
AA is the atomic analog of MA
What is Atomic Emission?
Energy (provided electrically) from external device excites sample, sample itself is the source, reemitted as it decays to ground
What is Atomic Fluorescence?
sample excited by absorption, reemits radiation of a longer wavelength
What is a hollow cathode lamp?
narrow line source at low pressure low temperature so there is no collision or doppler
What are the line widths produced by a hollow cathode lamp?
10e-2 to 10e-3 amps
Are black body sources used in AA?
nope, requirements are too strict
What is the role of the monochromator in AA?
filtering
Is beer’s law obeyed in AA?
it has to be, source bandwidth is less than sample bandwidth
What are the physical principles behind AE?
Energy from external source raises sample to excited state, emitting radiation directly upon relaxing to ground state
What is the source in AE?
The sample itself
How is the sample brought to the excited state in AE?
electrically
What is the role of the monochromator in AE?
high resolution
What are the physical principles behind AF?
narrow line sources, hollow cathode lamps with interference filter, low resolution wavelength sorting monochromators
What is the source in AF?
narrow line sources
Is high resolution needed in AF?
no
What determines the intensity distribution of atomic spectral lines?
population of excited energy levels
What is a Boltzmann distribution?
Population of energy levels at thermal equilibrium
What happens to the excited state population as wavelength decreases?
decreases as wavelength decreases
What happens to the excited state population as temperature increases?
Increases as temp increases
What are states of degeneracy?
multiple states exhibit the same energy
How are states of degeneracy applied to Boltzmann distribution?
represent statistical likelihood of m + g
What is the usual form of the sample in flame atomization?
liquid
What are the typical fuels used in AA?
natural gas, hydrogen, acetylene
What are the typical oxidants in AA?
oxygen, air, nitrous oxide
Fuel and oxidant combos?
natural + air, natural + O, H + Air, H + O, A + Air, A + O, A + Nitrous oxide
What are the temps typically used in flame AA?
1700 - 3150
How do flames contribute to the noise characteristics of an AA Instrument?
temperature and flicker
how can AA noise be controlled?
chopper and lock in
Control noise in AA and AF
chopper between light and flame
Control noise in AE
chopper between flame and monochromator
How do gas flow rates affect AA
basically immune to changes in temperature because ground state is used
How do gas flow rates affect AE?
temperature with excess fuel cools it down, excited population, intensity, concentration
How do the gas flow rates affect the ultimate sensitivity in AA and AE?
varied flame composition shifts detection region
How is desolvation usually accomplished?
evaporating solvent, relies on flame heat
What is vaporization?
solid to gas
What is atomization
ionic compound to atoms
Is there an optimum detection zone for every element?
no, depends on atom and process
How is the detection zone optimized?
depends on atom and process. You can move the burner position
What is the most common burner design in AA/AE?
laminar flow, premixed burner
What are the most common problems with using flames in AA/AE?
inefficient nebulization, short atom residence time, fluctuating intensities because temperature too low for atomizing
how does graphite furnace AA compare with Flame AA?
hollow rod along optical path, flushed with inert gas. requires water cooled jacket
What type of samples are used in AF/AA
Liquid or Solid
What are the 3 phases in electrothermal atomization?
Drying (heat to evaporate solvent), Ashing (Raise t to break down), and Atomization (flash heat to incandescent to produce atom population)
how long is drying?
short, 20-30 seconds
how long is ashing?
Depends on time it takes to breakdown sample, but no more than that or it goes away.
How long is atomization?
more than 10e3 K per second
What are the advantages of electrothermal graphite furnace atomization?
long residence time, high sensitivity, low detection limit, low noise, small sample without pretreatment
What are the disadvantages of electrothermal graphite furnace atomization
matrix interference, slow heat causes uneven ashing, poorer precision than flames
What are the characteristics of flames used in AA?
preheating, primary, interconal, outer
What is the preheating zone?
cooler region of flame
What is the primary reaction zone?
oxidant and fuel reaction at non equilibrium, intense emission, not good for observations in AA and AE
what is the interconal zone?
hottest region, faint oxidant/fuel emissions, rich in atoms, best for observing AA/AE
What is the outer zone?
secondary reaction, usually not good for detection
How does background correction differ in atomic spectroscopy compared to UV/Vis?
no ready scanning to correct background noise, very wide spectral bandpass in wavelength selector relative to source
What are the two main types of interference common to atomic spectroscopy?
chemical and spectraul
What are some strategies for reducing chemical interference?
form competing complexes that will dissociate in flame
how do compounds of low volatility form with the analyte?
anions reduce atomization rate
How can light scattering be reduced?
increase temp, decrease slit width, appropriate background correction
What techniques make matrix contamination the worst? Why?
solid samples, DC arc, spark sources, graphite furnace AA because of variation of rate of volatilization
Strategies for reducing matrix effects
closely match standards, vary temp by changing fuel to oxidant ratio
What are the advantages of high energy sources?
can read decade wide concentration range, concentration of nonmetals, low refractory concentrations; dozens of spectra simultaneously; low interference