UV‑Visible spectroscopy: Beer–Lambert law, electronic transitions, chromophores and auxochromes - One Line Questions
1.
Which functional group is a classic example of a chromophore that absorbs in the UV region? —
-C=O (carbonyl)
2.
What is the absorbance of a 0.005 M solution of a compound with a molar absorptivity of 10,000 M⁻¹cm⁻¹ in a 1 cm cuvette? —
0.5
3.
If a solution has an absorbance of 0.500 and the path length is 1 cm, what is the molar absorptivity if the concentration is 0.01 M? —
50 M⁻¹cm⁻¹
4.
In the Beer–Lambert law, A = εbc, what does 'ε' represent? —
Molar absorptivity (or extinction coefficient)
5.
In the Beer–Lambert law, A = εbc, what does 'b' represent? —
Path length (or cuvette width)
6.
The energy difference between the ground state and the excited state of a molecule is inversely proportional to: —
Wavelength of absorbed light
7.
What is the effect of increasing the path length (b) in the Beer-Lambert law, assuming concentration and molar absorptivity are constant? —
Absorbance increases proportionally.
8.
A hypsochromic shift (or blue shift) in UV-Visible spectroscopy indicates: —
A shift to shorter wavelength (higher energy).
9.
The phenomenon where the absorption intensity decreases due to structural changes or interactions is called: —
Hypochromism
10.
The phenomenon where the absorption intensity increases is called: —
Hyperchromism
11.
Which of the following is an example of an auxochrome? —
Hydroxyl group (-OH)
12.
Which of the following is NOT a typical chromophore? —
Saturated C-C single bond
13.
In UV-Vis spectroscopy, a shift to longer wavelength is called a bathochromic shift, and a shift to shorter wavelength is called a hypsochromic shift. What causes these shifts? —
Changes in molecular structure, such as conjugation or the presence of auxochromes
14.
A molecule that absorbs UV-Visible light is called a: —
Chromophore
15.
When a molecule absorbs light in the UV-Visible region, what happens to the electrons? —
Electrons are promoted from a lower energy orbital to a higher energy orbital.
16.
Which of the following functional groups would be expected to exhibit a significant absorption in the UV region due to π → π* transitions? —
Benzene (C6H6)
17.
The Beer–Lambert law is most accurate under what conditions? —
Low concentrations and monochromatic light
18.
The Beer–Lambert law is applicable to: —
Homogeneous solutions
19.
The shift of absorption maximum to longer wavelength (lower energy) due to the presence of an auxochrome is known as: —
20.
Which of the following statements regarding UV-Vis spectroscopy is incorrect? —
It is highly effective for analyzing saturated hydrocarbons.
21.
What effect does the addition of an auxochrome typically have on the intensity of absorption in UV-Visible spectroscopy? —
It usually increases the intensity (hyperchromic effect).
22.
A sample exhibits maximum absorbance at 550 nm. If the concentration is doubled, what will be the new maximum absorbance, assuming the Beer-Lambert law holds? —
It will remain 550 nm.
23.
The term 'chromophore' is derived from Greek words meaning: —
Color and carrier
24.
Conjugated systems, like polyenes, exhibit absorption at longer wavelengths compared to isolated double bonds primarily due to: —
Lower energy gap between HOMO and LUMO.
25.
Which of the following electronic transitions is typically observed in the UV-Visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum for simple alkanes? —
σ → σ*
26.
The transition responsible for the absorption of light by saturated hydrocarbons like methane is: —
σ → σ*
27.
Which transition typically occurs at the shortest wavelengths (highest energy) among the common ones? —
σ → σ*
28.
An auxochrome often contains: —
Lone pairs of electrons or polar groups
29.
The Beer–Lambert law is a linear relationship between absorbance and: —
Both concentration and path length
30.
Which factor is LEAST likely to cause a deviation from the Beer–Lambert law? —
Very low concentration
31.
A molecule with extended conjugation will typically show absorption at: —
Longer wavelengths (lower energy)
32.
What is the fundamental principle described by the Beer–Lambert law in UV-Visible spectroscopy? —
The absorbance of a solution is directly proportional to the concentration of the analyte and the path length of the light beam.
33.
The molar absorptivity (ε) is a measure of: —
How strongly a chemical species absorbs light at a particular wavelength.
34.
The sensitivity of a UV-Visible spectrophotometric method is directly related to: —
The molar absorptivity (ε)
35.
In the context of UV-Visible spectroscopy, what does 'λmax' signify? —
The wavelength where the absorbance is maximum for a given transition.
36.
Which of the following statements about auxochromes is FALSE? —
They are the primary light-absorbing parts of a molecule.
37.
Why are n → π* transitions often weaker (lower molar absorptivity) than π → π* transitions? —
They are symmetry-forbidden or involve poor orbital overlap.
38.
What is the primary role of an auxochrome in UV-Visible spectroscopy? —
To modify the absorption characteristics (wavelength and intensity) of a chromophore.
39.
What is the primary reason for using a reference blank in UV-Visible spectroscopy? —
To measure the absorbance of the solvent and cuvette, allowing it to be subtracted from the sample's absorbance.
40.
Deviations from the Beer–Lambert law can occur due to: —
Chemical interactions between analyte molecules (e.g., association, dissociation)
41.
Which solvent property can influence the position and intensity of UV-Visible absorption bands? —
Polarity
42.
The longest wavelength absorption band in a molecule is generally referred to as the: —
λmax (wavelength of maximum absorbance)
43.
Which type of electronic transition requires the least amount of energy and is thus observed at the longest wavelengths in UV-Visible spectroscopy? —
n → π*
44.
Which electronic transition involves excitation of a non-bonding electron to an antibonding π orbital? —
n → π*
45.
Which electronic transition involves excitation of a bonding π electron to an antibonding π* orbital? —
π → π*
46.
In transition metal complexes, which type of electronic transition often leads to colored compounds? —
d → d transitions
47.
Which electronic transition is most likely to be observed in a molecule like acetone (CH3COCH3)? —
n → π*
48.
A compound absorbs strongly at 250 nm. This absorption is likely due to which type of transition? —
π → π* in a conjugated system