Photoacoustic Calorimetry: An Undergraduate Physical-Organic Experiment

Photoacoustic calorimetry (PAC) is a powerful tool for studying photophysical properties of molecules and energetics of discrete chemical reactions. PAC can be thought of simply as "listening to molecules" as they decay from an energetically excited state. The laser technology employed is similar to that already used in many physical chemistry laboratories and is therefore easily implemented as a complementary exercise to existing laser experiments. Two projects illustrate PAC as applied to two different chemical systems while utilizing identical theory, equipment, and procedure. Numerous other chemical systems are also addressable by this state-of-the-art technology.