noun
spectrometer
spehk-TROM-ih-tuh
noun
1
A scientific instrument that measures how a substance absorbs or emits light across different wavelengths, used to identify what the substance is made of.
"The lab used a spectrometer to confirm the exact composition of the sample."
"A mass spectrometer can identify tiny traces of a chemical in a mixture."
How to Use Spectrometer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA device that reads light to figure out what something is chemically made of.
Common pairings
mass spectrometer
infrared spectrometer
run a sample through a spectrometer
Word Forms
spectrometers plural
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The lab used a _____ to confirm the exact composition of the sample.
Etymology
From "spectro-" (relating to a spectrum) plus "-meter" ("measuring device"), the same ending found in "thermometer."