What is Atomic Absorption ?
Atomic absorption is the process that occurs when a ground state atom absorbs energy in the form of light of a specific wavelength and is elevated to an excited state. The amount of light energy absorbed at this wavelength will increase as the number of atoms of the selected element in the light path increases. The relationship between the amount of light absorbed and the concentration of analyte present in known standards can be used to determine unknown concentrations by measuring the amount of light they absorb. Instrument readouts can be calibrated to display concentrations directly. The basic layout of an atomic absorption system is shown here.
