Chemistry A-Level
characteristic wavenumbers
What characteristic wavenumbers means in Chemistry A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definition of characteristic wavenumbers
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Reference: AQA
Because each type of bond has its own natural frequency, absorptions appear at these values, which you look up on the data sheet rather than recalling.
Topics that use characteristic wavenumbers
- Infrared spectroscopy (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- absence as evidence
- below 1500 cm⁻¹
- bond vibration
- broad O–H shapes
- C=O near 1700 cm⁻¹
- comparison with a database
- fingerprint region
- units of cm⁻¹
Using characteristic wavenumbers in the exam
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