Nephelometry is based on the measurement of light that is:

Nephelometry is based on the measurement of light that is:

• A. Absorbed by particles in suspension
• B. Scattered by particles in suspension
• C. Produced by fluorescence
• D. Produced by excitation of ground-state atoms

Answer: (B)

Nephelometry hinges on detecting light that has been scattered by particles in a suspension. As the light beam passes through a sample containing particles, some photons are deflected in other directions depending on particle size and concentration. The detector sits at an angle to the beam to pick up this scattered light, which increases as turbidity rises. This is different from absorption, where light is removed from the beam, or from fluorescence or atomic emission, where light is produced by the sample rather than simply redirected. So the measured signal in nephelometry is the light that has been scattered by the particles in suspension.

Nephelometry hinges on detecting light that has been scattered by particles in a suspension. As the light beam passes through a sample containing particles, some photons are deflected in other directions depending on particle size and concentration. The detector sits at an angle to the beam to pick up this scattered light, which increases as turbidity rises. This is different from absorption, where light is removed from the beam, or from fluorescence or atomic emission, where light is produced by the sample rather than simply redirected. So the measured signal in nephelometry is the light that has been scattered by the particles in suspension.