Determination of absorption

coefficient of cuso4 by optical method

Abstract:-
This experiment has been performed to find out the true relationship between
absorbance and concentration of colored solutions, by optical method. By using He-Ne
laser of wavelength 632.8 nm, the absorbance of 9 different solutions of CuSo4 , ranging
from 0.125 to 1.1 M, was found using light dependent resistor (LDR). As absorbance
and resistance are inversely proportional (in the process of LDR) we have introduced a
constant of proportionality n, which is equal to 9.89 x 104, by reference of report we
followed. This factor was found to be consistent with the range of concentration used for
this project. In accordance with the knowledge from formulas, the graphical analysis
revealed that the relationship between absorbance and concentration was directly
proportional with a molar absorptivity of 2.9 M-1cm-1 for CuSo4

Introduction:-
To understand the absorption coefficient, we first need to understand what happens
when light shines through a material. Light that encounters a material can be reflected,
transmitted, or absorbed. Reflection occurs when light bounces off a material; you can
see your reflection in a mirror, because mirrors reflect a lot of light. Light that passes
through a material has been transmitted, so the light you see through a window has
been transmitted through the window. Absorbed light is light that is neither reflected nor
transmitted; this light goes into a material, but never comes out. So where does
absorbed light go? When a material absorbs light, it takes the energy of the light and
changes it into another form of energy such as heat. The absorption coefficient
describes how much light of a given color is absorbed by a material of a given
thickness. The absorption coefficient is often represented by the Greek letter alpha. It
has units of 1/cm (1/length), because it describes the amount of light absorbed per
thickness of material. The more light a material absorbs, the higher its absorption
coefficient will be. Because materials often absorb some colors better than others, the
absorption coefficient is a function of color. A material that absorbs red light while
transmitting blue light will have a high absorption coefficient for red light and a
low absorption coefficient for blue light. Its S.I unit is M−1⋅cm−1.
In order to find absorption coefficient we use beer-lambert law. The Beer-Lambert law
(or Beer's law) is the linear relationship between absorbance and concentration of an
absorbing species. The general Beer-Lambert law is usually written as:
A = a(lambda) * b * c
where A is the measured absorbance, a(lambda) is a wavelength-dependent
absorptivity coefficient, b is the path length, and c is the analyte concentration. When
working in concentration units of molarity, the Beer-Lambert law is written as:
A = epsilon * b * c
where epsilon is the wavelength-dependent molar absorptivity coefficient with units of
M -1 cm -1 .

Experimental Procedure:-

 CuSo4 Solution
 Multimeter
 LDR
 He-Ne Laser
 Glass Container

Nine samples were prepared at different concentration of CuSo4 ranging from 0.125 to
1.1 M to analysis the absorption coefficient. After preparing the solutions attached the
LDR with glass container perfectly so the chances of error will be reduced, both legs of
LDR connected to the multimeter. Initially we take the background readings when white
light is turn ON which is about 8.0kΩ in order to reduce errors and making the reading
precise. Now we place the container below the He-Ne laser and pour samples in it after
one and other and note down the reading which appears on multimeter correctly then
subtract the background reading from them which is shown in table 2. After this by using
the N factor we calculate the absorbance at each corresponding values of resistance
then wo plot a graph between absorbance and concentration which shows the linear
behavior and justifying the Beer-Lambert Law.
Result:-
After calculating the absorbance by using the N factor at each corresponding value of
resistance which are shown in table 1 we plot a graph between concentration and
absorbance which is the function of resistance. According to Beer-Lambert law
absorbance is directly proportional to the concentration. Generally absorbance is the log
of intensities but here we use absorbance as a function of resistance which also shows
the linear behavior in between concentration and absorbance so our conversion from
intensity to resistance on the basis of principle of LDR is verified by this graphical
representation as shown in figure 1.

S.No Concentration (M) Asorbance

1. 0.125 14.00
2. 0.25 14.059
3. 0.376 14.180
4. 0.502 14.30
5. 0.626 14.386
6. 0.752 14.513
7. 0.877 14.53
8. 1.0 14.59
9. 1.1 14.729

(Table 1)

Absorbance
14.8 14.729
14.7
14.59
14.6 14.513 14.53
14.5
Absorbance

14.386
14.4
14.303
14.3
14.18
14.2
14.059
14.1
14
14

13.9
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
Concentratio (M)
 (Figure 1)

14.386 − 14.180
Slope = m = = 0.824
0.626 − 0.376
𝐴 𝑚 0.824 𝑀⁻¹
𝜀 = = = = 2.921 𝑀−1 𝑐𝑚⁻¹
𝑐𝑙 𝑙 0.282𝑐𝑚

Discussion:-
Our purpose of performing this experiment is to determine the absorption coefficient of
CuSo4 by optical technique. It was observed that there is a linear relationship between
concentration and absorbance by this it is proved that our experiment obeys Beer-
Lambert Law. According to Beer-Lambert law
𝐼 = 𝐼ₒ𝑒 −𝛼𝑡
𝐼
= 𝑒 −𝛼𝑡
𝐼ₒ

log (𝐼⁄𝐼ₒ) = −𝛼𝑡

log (𝐼ₒ⁄𝐼 ) = 𝛼𝑡 where; A = log (𝐼ₒ⁄𝐼 )

A = 𝛼𝑡 (A = absorbance, 𝛼 = 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦, t =thickness)

𝛼 = 𝐴⁄𝑡
𝐴
= 𝜀𝑐 where; 𝛼 = 𝜀𝑐
𝑡

A = 𝜀𝑐𝑙 (𝜀= molar absorptivity/absorption coefficient, c= concentration)

But here we calculate absorbance as a function of resistance. From the working

principle of LDR we know that absorbance is inversely proportional to resistance so,
1
𝐴 ∝ 𝑅
𝑁
A=𝑅 where ; N = 𝑛⁄20
𝑛⁄
20
A= 𝑅
 Where n is the proportionality constant, calculated by report which we used as a
reference at c = 0.25 M, 0.703 absorbance obtained by using this data we can calculate
n factor
𝑛
= AR
20
𝑛
= (0.703) (7040)
20

n = (4.9 x 103) (20)

n = 9.89x104
by using this we calculate absorbance at every value of resistance, and its graph shows
linear relationship between absorbance and concentration shown in figure 1

S.No CuSo4 Moles Concentration Resistance Corrected Count Corrected Count

(g) (mol) (M) (kΩ) After (-8kΩ) After (-0.48kΩ)
1. 0.2 1.25x10-3 0.125 0.45 7550Ω 7070Ω
2. 0.4 2.5x10-3 0.25 0.48 7520Ω 7040Ω
3. 0.6 3.76x10-3 0.376 0.54 7460Ω 6980Ω
4. 0.8 5.02x10-3 0.502 0.60 7400Ω 6920Ω
5. 1.0 6.26x10-3 0.626 0.64 7360Ω 6880Ω
6. 1.2 7.52x10-3 0.752 0.70 7300Ω 6820Ω
7. 1.4 8.77x10-3 0.877 0.71 7290Ω 6810Ω
8. 1.6 0.01 1.00 0.74 7260Ω 6780Ω
9. 1.8 0.011 1.1 0.80 7200Ω 6770Ω

(Table 2)

Appendix 1:-
 Background Readings
White light on LDR = 8.0kΩ
Laser + White Light absorb by container = 0.48kΩ
 Thickness of container = 2.22mm

Appendix 2:-
Path length:
diameter = D = 6.715
 6.715
radius = R = = 3.357
2

V = 𝜋𝑟 2 ℎ ( h =𝑙 = path length)
V = 10ml = 10cmᶾ
10𝑐𝑚ᶾ
𝑙 = (3.142)(3.357𝑐𝑚)² = 0.282 cm

Appendix 3:-
LDR:-
An LDR or light dependent resistor is also known as photo resistor, It is a one type of
resistor whose resistance varies depending on the amount of light falling on its surface.
When the light falls on the resistor, then the resistance changes. These resistors have a
variety of functions and resistance. For instance, when the LDR is in darkness, then it
can be used to turn ON a light or to turn OFF a light when it is in the light. A typical light
dependent resistor has a resistance in the darkness of 1MOhm, and in the brightness a
resistance of a couple of K Ohm

Working Principle:-
This resistor works on the principle of photo conductivity. It is nothing but, when the light
falls on its surface, then the material conductivity reduces and also the electrons in the
valence band of the device are excited to the conduction band. These photons in the
incident light must have energy greater than the band gap of the semiconductor
material. This makes the electrons to jump from the valence band to conduction. These
devices depend on the light, when light falls on the LDR then the resistance decreases,
and increases in the dark. When a LDR is kept in the dark place, its resistance is high
and, when the LDR is kept in the light its resistance will decrease.

Reason Of Using LDR:-

• Initially we used photodiode because it has a linear relationship b/w
concentration & absorption so it satisfy Beer-Lambert Law but our output results
were very small and difficult to measure so we had to amplify our results to
measure them properly.
• We had to make a circuit with photodiode in order to amplifier results and we
successfully made it but, we were not able to align it properly.
• Because of these complications we replaced photodiode by LDR, phenomenon
of LDR is different as compare to photodiode but it gives amplified results as
compare to photodiode so in LDR there is no need of amplification.
Appendix 4:-
Reference:-
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/d547/882a5e2c89bf977b004bf817983153b4a218.pdf