The spectrophotometer is an instrument used to measure the effect of a sample on a beam of light. We can learn a lot about a substance by studying the way it interacts with light.

In this video, we’ll demonstrate how to use a spectrophotometer to perform a basic experiment: determining the absorbance spectrum of red food coloring.

Included in the video is a short animation that illustrates the inner workings of a spectrophotometer.

Special thanks to Joe Issa and the Gaston College Biotechnology department for helping to make this video.

Practice using a virtual spec: https://www.ncbionetwork.org/educational-resources/elearning