Polarimeter – The Modern Day Equipment

Polarimeter is a scientific instrument which is used to measure the rotation of the plane of the polarized light as it goes through a sample of a compound that parades optical activity. Several chemical compounds exist in many optically active forms. Each isomer of a compound or optically active form will be able in rotating the plane of the light (polarized) by an amount feature of that isomer.

Polarimetry is widely used in the process of polarimetry. It is a sensitive, effective and nondestructive method of measuring the optical activity displayed by these organic and inorganic compounds. The human eye can’t recognize whether light is polarized, however, the effects of polarization can easily be observed using the polarizing filters. The process of Polarimetry measures the magnitude to which a substance interrelates with the plane-polarized light & whether it rotates the light (plane-polarized) to the right, to the left, or not at all.

Since polarimeter makes use of polarized light, the un-polarized light from the source should first be polarized, and then passed through the sample cell. The available analyzer is rotated until the condition of zero transmission is reached, when the analyzer and polarizer transmission axes are at the precise angles to each other and not any light passes through the polarimeter. The observed reading is noted on graduated scale.

If any optical active constituent is in sample pipe, the analyzer is revolved until the original dark state is restored. The revolution is perceived by looking through the analyzer. It is identified by the change in illumination intensity. The new generated reading is marked on the scale. Latest trending polarimeters determine the spin with the lasers or electronic medium, and the results are obtainable on a digital screen within few seconds.