Final answer:
IR spectroscopy provides information on functional groups and confirms the progress of chemical reactions. IR bands are characterized by wavenumber, % transmittance, and peak shapes.
Step-by-step explanation:
What important information does an IR spec involve you? The information provided by an IR (infrared) spectroscopy involves identifying the presence or absence of key functional groups in a molecule. It is particularly useful for chemists to confirm whether a chemical reaction has proceeded as expected by comparing the IR spectra of the reactant and the product.
The three features used to describe IR bands are the wavenumber, the % transmittance, and the shape of the peaks. The wavenumber indicates the number of waves that fit into one centimeter and is inversely proportional to the wavelength. % Transmittance shows how strongly light was absorbed at each frequency, where a lower % transmittance indicates a higher absorption. Lastly, the peak shapes can provide information about the environment of the functional groups.