Demonstration of Absorbance Using Digital Color Image Analysis and Colored Solutions

Abstract

This article describes a simple experiment in which the principle of absorbance may be demonstrated using digital color image analysis. Dilute yellow food coloring solutions in water were prepared in known relative concentrations and photographed in transparent cuvettes as a group placed against a diffuse fluorescent white light lightbox. Image analysis of the intensity of the complementary color (blue) for each solution produced data that conformed to the Beer–Lambert law.