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Understanding Raman Scattering or what is Raman Effect in simple words can help students understand one of the most fascinating phenomena in physics. This effect tells us how light interacts with objects or materials around us. It also tells us how light changes its wavelength when it passes through different types of substances. Although named after the exemplary Indian physicist Dr CV Raman, he discovered this effect together with his co-discoverer KS Krishnan. In this blog, you will read all about the Raman effect, its definition, and its importance in English.
Raman Effect Definition
Sir CV Raman used quartz or a prism i.e. a transparent material and discovered that when a ray of light passes through the materials, it gets deflected due to changes in wavelength and frequency of waves.
Initially, CV Raman and his co-discoverer KS Krishnan named this scattering of light as “modified scattering” and subsequently the name Raman Effect was given to this exceptional discovery in the field of physics. In 1930, CV Raman received the Nobel Prize in science, especially for the discovery of Raman scattering. Take a look at this Raman Effect image to understand the concept easily:
What is Raman Scattering?
Raman Scattering can be another term used for the Raman effect and it is measured by spectrograph. It is the inelastic scattering of the photons when it strikes the molecules of a transparent material. In this process, energy exchange takes place and due to the deflection of light, the direction also changes.
In the Raman Effect, the molecules gain vibrational energy from the incident photon. Thus, Raman spectroscopy can give the structure of the materials.
The change in direction of the incident ray takes place due to the change in energy state. When the photon strikes the molecule it gets excited to the virtual energy state and then relaxes back to the ground state. The emitted photon will be scattered out with different energy as compared to the incident photon.
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Application of Raman Effect
Interestingly, the Raman Effect has several important applications across various fields as well as in our daily life. By simply understanding how light interacts with different materials, scientists can discover new information. Now that you know what is Raman Effect in simple words, let’s take a look at its applications:
- Forensics: It can help identify substances at crime scenes such as explosives and trace evidence like paints.
- Chemical analysis: The Raman Effect can also be used in laboratories to identify chemical compositions and molecular structures.
- Pharmaceuticals: The Raman Effect can also be used in the pharmaceutical industry for quality control to ensure that drugs meet the required safety and efficacy standards.
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FAQs
The Raman Effect is defined as the scattering of light when a photon strikes the molecule of a transparent material it produces photons of variable wavelength and frequency due to vibrations of the molecules. This effect is used by physicists and chemists to study the properties of materials.
Raman Spectroscopy was discovered by CV Raman in 1928. It is a technique used to determine the vibrational modes of molecules. Apart from vibrational mode, low-frequency and rotational modes can also be observed via this technique. Raman Spectroscopy is mainly used in chemistry to study the structural fingerprints of any molecule.
Raman Scattering is popularly known as the Raman Effect. It was discovered by renowned Indian physicist CV Raman. National Science Day is celebrated to commemorate the discovery of the Raman Effect on 28 February every year.
Raman Scattering, also known as the Raman Effect, talks about the optical phenomenon in which light interacts with a material and changes its energy accordingly. In other words, when a beam of light falls on a material, most of it bounces back the same way and only a small part changes due to the unique vibrations of the material’s molecules.
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