What is the name of the machine used to measure optical density? We used it in a lab but I can't remember what they called it.
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2$\begingroup$ densitometer? turbidometer? spectrometer? spectrophotometer? There are many such devices and some details on the type of experiment may help here. $\endgroup$– AliceD ♦Commented Mar 4, 2015 at 4:17
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1$\begingroup$ Hmm I think it was the spectrometer. That sounds right. We where measuring the growth of cell cultures. $\endgroup$– Delimit04Commented Mar 4, 2015 at 4:51
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4$\begingroup$ I'd bet the farm that it's a spectrophotometer. $\endgroup$– canadianerCommented Mar 4, 2015 at 8:22
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1 Answer
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Optical Density is synonymous with absorbance which is based on the principle of absorption of light. The machine that is used to measure absorbance is called a spectrophotometer. Spectrometer does not indicate that light absorbance is being measured. A spectrometer can measure any spectrum; for e.g. Mass Spectrometer measures the spectrum of molecular mass (to be precice mass per charge).
Cell density can be also measured by the level of light scattering; turbidimeters or nephelometers are used for these kind of measurements.
PS: You should pay more attention in your class :P
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$\begingroup$ When you use a spectrophotometer to measure culture density you are actually measuring turbidity/light scattering, not absorbance. $\endgroup$ Commented May 16, 2017 at 18:27