Flash photolysis

Flash photolysis is a type of scientific experiment used to study the chemical reactions that happen very quickly when light is shone. It is used to observe chemical reactions that last no more than a few trillionths of a second. In a flash photolysis experiment, scientists shine a strong light – often a laser – on a sample of gas or liquid and then use special equipment to observe what happens in the sample. The experiment allows scientists to determine the precise steps chemicals take to go from reactants (the starting material) to products (the end material).