Work

Using a Remote Control to Determine the Infrared Absorption Coefficient in Water

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: In this work, we present a simple and low cost experiment designed to determine the infrared water absorption coefficient. We used a TV remote control as a point source of infrared light. The intensity after passing the light through different heights of a water column is measured with a solar cell connected to a speaker. The recorded signal, captured with a smartphone sound recorder, provides a practical demonstration of the Beer Lambert law. The collected data were fitted to the theoretical model, obtaining a very good agreement between the value of the water absorption coefficient obtained experimentally and that reported in the literature.

Source: The Physics Teacher

DOI: 10.1119/5.0223941

Authors: Santiago Ortuño-Molina, Adrián Garmendía-Martínez, Francisco M. Muñoz-Pérez, Juan C. Castro-Palacio, Juan A. Monsoriu

Institution: Universitat Politècnica de València

Language: English

Topic: Experimental and Theoretical Physics Studies

Subfield: Statistical and Nonlinear Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: Generalitat Valenciana, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Institute of Education Sciences, Universitat Politècnica de València

Awards: G2805746479, G4188575337, G8920660035