Luminescence Detector: A Tool for Analyzing Visible Light

What is a pyrosequencer and what type of instrument is it?

A pyrosequencer detects visible light, making it which type of instrument? a. Fluorescence spectrophotometer b. Luminescence detector c. Colorimeter d. Absorbance spectrophotometer

Answer:

A pyrosequencer is an instrument that detects visible light. It's a Luminescence detector, which helps in determining the interaction between matter and visible light, similar to how spectrometers function in measuring the interaction of light with matter.

A pyrosequencer is an instrument that detects visible light making it a type of Luminescence detector. Luminescence is the emission of light from a substance that has absorbed it. It is used in spectrometry, the science of measuring and interpreting the interaction between matter and radiated energy, in this instance, visible light. Just like a spectrophotometer used by scientists to determine the types of pigments in a photosynthetic organism by measuring transmitted light, a pyrosequencer measures light that was previously absorbed but now emitted by a substance. This is similar to how astronomers use devices to spread light out into its full spectrum or use filters to transmit light within a specific range of wavelengths. A red transparent plastic, for example, transmits only red light while blocking other colors. After passing through a filter, light forms an image that scientists can measure for apparent brightness and color. Microscopes can be attached to instruments like monochromators and spectral analyzers to detect only a small specific band of wavelength. Monochromatic light from a laser is scattered from the specimen in these cases, shifting the scattered light up or down as it interacts with particular energy levels in the sample. This unique scattered light gives detailed information about the specimen's chemical composition.