Aas (1 Viewer)

[~GrOoVy~]

when you are told to 'assess' this process what are we meant to write??? in our answer are we supposed to say how this technique work or just how it has helped detect pollution??

 

[Dreamerish*~]

when you are told to 'assess' this process what are we meant to write??? in our answer are we supposed to say how this technique work or just how it has helped detect pollution??

Well, usually when an "assess" question is asked on AAS, it requires you to describe how the AAS is used and explain how it has helped our understanding of trace elements in nature.

Here are some main points you need to consider when answering this question:

• Cathode lamp made of the same metal as the one being tested - why?
• A filter or monochromator is used - why?
• Why is the metal solution sprayed into the flame?
• Calibration graph is produced from standard solutions.
• It was AAS that first detected trace elements - before AAS, the existance of trace elements in living organisms had gone unnoticed.
• AAS measures the concentration of metals in solution to as precise as parts per billion.
• AAS has helped us not only acknowledge that trace elements are present in living things, but also helped us understand how these trace elements help an organism function.