A frequency comb is a tool used in physics and engineering that consists of a series of discrete, evenly spaced frequency lines or modes. It is typically generated by mode-locked lasers, which produce pulses of light at regular intervals. These pulses correspond to frequencies that are harmonically related, creating a "comb-like" spectrum of frequency lines when viewed in the frequency domain.
Cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) is a highly sensitive optical measurement technique used to analyze the concentration of gases or the properties of materials. It is based on the principle of measuring the time it takes for light to "ring down" or decay within an optical cavity. Here’s a brief overview of how it works and its key features: ### Principle 1.
Infrared photodissociation spectroscopy (IRPD) is a powerful analytical technique used primarily in molecular spectroscopy to study the structure and dynamics of molecules, particularly ions and complexes. Here's a brief overview of the method: ### Principles: 1. **Infrared Absorption:** The technique relies on the absorption of infrared (IR) radiation by molecules. Molecules have specific vibrational modes that correspond to particular wavelengths of IR light. When IR light is absorbed, it can excite these vibrational modes.
Internal conversion is a non-radiative process in chemistry and physics where an excited molecule transitions to a lower energy state (usually the ground state) without the emission of a photon. Instead of releasing energy as light, the molecule dissipates the energy as vibrational or thermal energy to its surroundings. In more detail, when a molecule absorbs energy and moves to an excited electronic state, it may undergo various relaxation processes to return to a lower energy state.
Mechanical equilibrium refers to a state in which the net force and net torque acting on a system are both zero. When a system is in mechanical equilibrium, it is either at rest (static equilibrium) or moving with a constant velocity (dynamic equilibrium). There are two key conditions for mechanical equilibrium: 1. **First Condition - Translational Equilibrium**: The sum of all forces acting on an object must be zero.
The Eastern Analytical Symposium (EAS) is an annual conference and exhibition focused on analytical chemistry and related fields. It typically features a variety of activities, including: 1. **Technical Sessions**: These sessions include presentations and discussions on the latest research and developments in analytical chemistry, instrumentation, methods, and applications. 2. **Workshops and Short Courses**: The symposium often offers educational opportunities through workshops and short courses aimed at professionals looking to enhance their skills and knowledge in specific areas of analytical science.
"Globar" can refer to different concepts or entities depending on the context, but it is most commonly known as a type of thermal radiation source used in various scientific and industrial applications. 1. **Globar (Thermal Radiation Source)**: This is a silicon carbide rod that is heated to produce a broad spectrum of infrared radiation. It is often used in spectroscopic applications, such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), where it serves as a stable and consistent source of infrared light.
Energy levels refer to the fixed energies an electron can have when it is in an atom or other quantum system. In quantum mechanics, electrons exist in discrete energy states, each corresponding to a different level of energy. Here’s a breakdown of the concept: 1. **Quantization**: In an atom, electrons cannot occupy just any energy level; instead, they can only exist in specific, quantized energy levels. This is a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics.
Hund's rules are a set of guidelines used in quantum chemistry and atomic physics to determine the ground state of an atom or ion's electron configuration, particularly for multi-electron systems. These rules help predict how electrons fill orbitals in an atom. The rules are as follows: 1. **Hund's First Rule:** For a given electron configuration, the term with the highest multiplicity has the lowest energy.
A Grotrian diagram is a visual representation used in spectroscopy and quantum mechanics to illustrate the energy levels of a particular atom or molecule and the transitions between them. It provides a graphical way to depict the electronic states of atoms and the allowed transitions (e.g., radiative transitions) that occur as electrons move between these states. In a Grotrian diagram: - **Energy Levels**: The vertical axis represents energy levels, where higher positions indicate higher energy states.
A Kerr frequency comb is a type of optical frequency comb that is generated through the process of the Kerr effect in nonlinear optical media. The Kerr effect refers to a phenomenon where the refractive index of a material changes in response to the intensity of light passing through it. When high-intensity light waves are introduced into such a medium, they can generate multiple new frequency components, resulting in a comb-like spectrum of optical frequencies.
Cobalt is a trace element that plays a crucial role in biology, primarily as a component of vitamin B12 (cobalamin), which is essential for various physiological processes in both humans and animals. Here are some key points about cobalt in biology: 1. **Vitamin B12 Component**: Cobalt is a central part of the cobalt-porphyrin structure in vitamin B12. This vitamin is vital for DNA synthesis, red blood cell formation, and neurological function.
Laser diffraction analysis is a widely used technique for measuring the size distribution of particles in a sample. This method is based on the principle of diffraction, which occurs when a beam of light interacts with particles. Here’s how it works and its key aspects: ### Principles of Laser Diffraction 1. **Laser Beam**: A coherent light source, typically a laser, emits a beam of light that is directed towards a sample containing particles.
Littrow expansion, named after the Austrian physicist Heinrich Littrow, is a method used in optics and diffraction-grating theory. It specifically pertains to the analysis of light diffraction by a grating at a specific angle, known as the Littrow angle. In the context of a diffraction grating, the Littrow expansion occurs when the incoming light is focused so that the angle of incidence equals the angle of diffraction for one of the diffracted orders.
Motional narrowing is a phenomenon observed in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. It refers to the reduction in the linewidth of spectral peaks when the motion of the molecules or particles under investigation occurs at a rate that is fast compared to the interaction timescale associated with the magnetic environment.
Molecular vibration refers to the oscillatory motion of atoms within a molecule around their equilibrium positions. This phenomenon occurs because molecular bonds can be thought of as springs that can stretch and compress, allowing the atoms to move closer together or further apart. During vibration, different types of motions can occur, including: 1. **Stretching**: This can be further divided into: - **Symmetric stretching**: Both bonds are elongated or shortened simultaneously.
Spectral bands refer to specific ranges of wavelengths within the electromagnetic spectrum where light or other forms of electromagnetic radiation can be analyzed or measured. These bands are utilized in various fields, including remote sensing, telecommunications, astronomy, and more.
Phosphorescence is a type of photoluminescence related to fluorescence. It occurs when a material absorbs light or electromagnetic radiation and then re-emits it over a longer period. Unlike fluorescence, which involves the immediate re-emission of light (typically within nanoseconds), phosphorescence involves a delayed re-emission that can last from microseconds to several hours or even days.
Photoelectron photoion coincidence spectroscopy (PEPICO) is a technique used in molecular physics and chemistry to study the electronic structure and dynamics of molecules. It combines two powerful methods: photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) and photoionization spectroscopy. ### Key Components of PEPICO: 1. **Photoelectron Spectroscopy (PES):** - This technique involves the ionization of molecules by ultraviolet or X-ray photons, resulting in the ejection of electrons from the molecules.
Photoluminescence is the process by which a material absorbs photons (light) and then re-emits them. This phenomenon is a form of photonic emission that occurs when a substance absorbs energy, usually from ultraviolet (UV) or visible light, and subsequently emits light of a longer wavelength.

Pinned article: Introduction to the OurBigBook Project

Welcome to the OurBigBook Project! Our goal is to create the perfect publishing platform for STEM subjects, and get university-level students to write the best free STEM tutorials ever.
Everyone is welcome to create an account and play with the site: ourbigbook.com/go/register. We belive that students themselves can write amazing tutorials, but teachers are welcome too. You can write about anything you want, it doesn't have to be STEM or even educational. Silly test content is very welcome and you won't be penalized in any way. Just keep it legal!
We have two killer features:
  1. topics: topics group articles by different users with the same title, e.g. here is the topic for the "Fundamental Theorem of Calculus" ourbigbook.com/go/topic/fundamental-theorem-of-calculus
    Articles of different users are sorted by upvote within each article page. This feature is a bit like:
    • a Wikipedia where each user can have their own version of each article
    • a Q&A website like Stack Overflow, where multiple people can give their views on a given topic, and the best ones are sorted by upvote. Except you don't need to wait for someone to ask first, and any topic goes, no matter how narrow or broad
    This feature makes it possible for readers to find better explanations of any topic created by other writers. And it allows writers to create an explanation in a place that readers might actually find it.
    Figure 1.
    Screenshot of the "Derivative" topic page
    . View it live at: ourbigbook.com/go/topic/derivative
  2. local editing: you can store all your personal knowledge base content locally in a plaintext markup format that can be edited locally and published either:
    This way you can be sure that even if OurBigBook.com were to go down one day (which we have no plans to do as it is quite cheap to host!), your content will still be perfectly readable as a static site.
    Figure 2.
    You can publish local OurBigBook lightweight markup files to either https://OurBigBook.com or as a static website
    .
    Figure 3.
    Visual Studio Code extension installation
    .
    Figure 4.
    Visual Studio Code extension tree navigation
    .
    Figure 5.
    Web editor
    . You can also edit articles on the Web editor without installing anything locally.
    Video 3.
    Edit locally and publish demo
    . Source. This shows editing OurBigBook Markup and publishing it using the Visual Studio Code extension.
    Video 4.
    OurBigBook Visual Studio Code extension editing and navigation demo
    . Source.
  3. https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook-media/master/feature/x/hilbert-space-arrow.png
  4. Infinitely deep tables of contents:
    Figure 6.
    Dynamic article tree with infinitely deep table of contents
    .
    Descendant pages can also show up as toplevel e.g.: ourbigbook.com/cirosantilli/chordate-subclade
All our software is open source and hosted at: github.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook
Further documentation can be found at: docs.ourbigbook.com
Feel free to reach our to us for any help or suggestions: docs.ourbigbook.com/#contact