The terms Spectrometry and Spectroscopy stand for the science that investigates the interaction between electromagnetic radiation and matter. It includes the generation, observation, registration, measuring und interpretation of spectra.
A spectrum is an arrangement of frequency or intensity distributions as a function
of definite property values. In the narrower sense spectrum means the representation
of the intensity distribution of an electromagnetic radiation depending on its
frequency, wavelength und wave number.
Spectrometry according to the range of electromagnetic radiation is distinguished into
radio wave (NMR), microwave, infrared, UV-VIS, X-ray and gamma-ray spectrometry.
According to the interaction in absorption spectrometry is distinguished into emission,
reflection und scattering spectrometry and according to the investigated sample into atom,
molecule or solid state spectrometry.
Primarily spectrometry is used to identify substances. Spectrometry provides information
about structure and qualitative composition of the investigated systems. Quantitative
information are obtained from the intensity of radiation at definite wavelengths. A
calibration of the spectrometer is necessary.