Build your own spectrophotometer

Spectroscopy is widely taught at A-level and at undergraduate level and, as scientific instruments become more affordable yet more sensitive and complex in their workings, it is increasingly important for students to understand their underlying principles. Most spectrophotometers in the teaching laboratory are driven by a PC, which controls the operations, stores files and manipulates the data, leaving students divorced from the physical processes that lead to the measurement. To overcome this problem we have developed a project that allows students to design and build their own visible-light spectrophotometer.