Group 9 Data (Spectroscopic and Light Sensor)

We gathered samples of multiple liquids, including mixtures of a few of them, and analyzed them using two separate instruments; a light sensor, and a portable spectrometer.

To begin with, we shined light through our samples and measured their opacities using the light sensor.  We took the data in a dark room, holding the samples against the light sensor and exposing it to only one source of light at a constant distance and intensity.  We used a cell phone flashlight.  This is a picture of our experimental setup.

setup 1

The light sensor we used had a slight systematic error of about 2.4 lux, that is, it measured 2.4 lux when completely covered.  We have adjusted for that in the table below.

Liquid Adjusted Opacity Values (Lux)
Water 67
Orange Juice 3.6
Extra Virgin Olive Oil 50
Listerine 63.6
Axe Shower Gel 1.3
Hand Sanitizer 66.8
Sprite 69
Coffee 0.4
Coffee plus Unknown Pineapple Juice 8.9
Shower Gel plus Listerine 19.6
Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey 59
Everclear Grain Alcohol 68.6
Orange Juice plus Oil 5.3
Low Fat Soy Milk 1.1
Whiskey plus Low Fat Soy Milk 3.6
Water plus Low Fat Soy Milk 3.4

Our second set of data was attained by analyzing our samples through a portable spectrometer.  It also had a small systematic error, which we have accounted for.  The absorption readings were displaced on the y-axis by about 0.5, giving negative absorption readings.  In our graphs, we have displayed the y-axis from -0.5 to 3, which should be read as 0-3.  3 is the maximum opacity that this spectrometer can measure.  The y-axis records absorbance, while the x-axis displays wavelength.  The picture below is of our setup, showing the spectrometer and all the liquid samples we used.

setup 2

The spectrometer shines light through the samples, and records the absorbance on the wavelengths of the visible spectrum.  Below are our graphs of the data.

axe shower gel graph Axe Shower Gel

coffee and unknown pineapple juice graph  Coffee and Unknown Pineapple Juice

coffee graph  Coffee

everclear grain alcohol graph  Everclear Grain Alcohol

extra virgin olive oil graph Extra Virgin Olive Oil

fireball cinnamon whiskey  Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey

fireball whiskey and soy milk graph Fireball Whiskey and Soy Milk

hand sanitizer graph Hand Sanitizer

listerine and axe shower gel Listerine and Axe Shower Gel

listerine graph Listerine

low fat soy milk graph Low Fat Soy Milk

orange juice  Orange Juice

orange juice and oil graph Orange Juice and Oil

soy milk and water graph Soy Milk and Water

sprite Sprite

watergraph Water

 

1 thought on “Group 9 Data (Spectroscopic and Light Sensor)

  1. Avatar photoJenny Magnes

    I am wondering how different concentrations of mixtures will look. I am also looking forward to reading if you are able to analyze mixtures and identify compounds in mixtures.

Leave a Reply