Symmetry and Spectroscopy
Location
CoLab, COM 253
Start Date
30-4-2026 12:00 PM
Document Type
Poster
Description
Molecular structure plays a fundamental role in the behavior of chemical compounds. In particular, this experiment studies the relationship between structure and spectroscopic behavior. Through this relationship, structures of molecules and the underlying reasoning for these structures can be understood. This project investigates the connection between structure, symmetry, and molecular orbital theory through the absorption spectrum of Potassium Permanganate (KMnO4). An absorption spectrum of Potassium Permanganate will be obtained using Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy by measuring absorbance at varying wavelengths in the Ultraviolet and Visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. This absorption spectrum will then be analyzed to identify peaks, which can then be interpreted with symmetry, group theory, and molecular orbital theory. This analysis demonstrates how features of absorption spectra are a result of molecular structure.
Image
Symmetry and Spectroscopy
CoLab, COM 253
Molecular structure plays a fundamental role in the behavior of chemical compounds. In particular, this experiment studies the relationship between structure and spectroscopic behavior. Through this relationship, structures of molecules and the underlying reasoning for these structures can be understood. This project investigates the connection between structure, symmetry, and molecular orbital theory through the absorption spectrum of Potassium Permanganate (KMnO4). An absorption spectrum of Potassium Permanganate will be obtained using Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy by measuring absorbance at varying wavelengths in the Ultraviolet and Visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. This absorption spectrum will then be analyzed to identify peaks, which can then be interpreted with symmetry, group theory, and molecular orbital theory. This analysis demonstrates how features of absorption spectra are a result of molecular structure.
Comments
The faculty mentor for this project was Amanda Glass.