It’s even harder for me to understand how they can tell apart the different elements, but how do they know, for example, that a glucose molecule has 6 atoms of carbon, 12 of hydrogen and 6 of oxygen? Or that a water molecule has 2 atoms of hydrogen and 1 of oxygen?
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Scientists use a technique called spectroscopy to determine the composition of molecules. When a molecule is exposed to light, it absorbs specific wavelengths related to the type and arrangement of its atoms. By analyzing the absorbed light, scientists can identify the elements in the molecule and their quantities. For example, a glucose molecule absorbs light in a pattern that indicates it has 6 carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms, and 6 oxygen atoms. Similarly, a water molecule’s absorption pattern reveals it has 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom.
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