Infrared spectroscopy

Infrared spectroscopy is like making music with light. Just like how you can make music with different instruments and notes, infrared spectroscopy uses different kinds of light to make a special kind of music for molecules.

Think of molecules like a group of people singing together. Each person makes a different sound, just like how each molecule vibrates and makes a different movement. When you shine a special kind of light on the molecules, it makes them wiggle and dance in a certain way that produces a unique pattern.

Scientists use a special instrument called a spectrometer to watch and listen to the music that the molecules make. The instrument takes in the light, splits it up into different colors, and measures how much light is absorbed by the molecules. Different molecules absorb different amounts and colors of light, so scientists can use that information to figure out what kind of molecule they're looking at.

This technique is very useful because it allows scientists to identify the chemical structure of a molecule without actually touching it at all! Instead, they can just shine light on the molecule and listen to the unique music it makes.