Final answer:
Calibrating the spectrophotometer is crucial for accurate absorbance measurements of a solution. It involves setting a baseline with a blank solution to account for any background absorbance.
Step-by-step explanation:
Calibrating the spectrophotometer is imperative for measuring the absorbance of a solution because it ensures accurate and reliable results. The calibration process involves setting the instrument to read zero absorbance with a blank or control solution, which contains no analyte. This baseline measurement allows for the subtraction of any background absorbance, such as from the solvent or the instrument itself. By calibrating the spectrophotometer, we can account for any potential errors and obtain precise absorbance measurements of the solution.