Nephelometer
A nephelometer is a measuring device used to determine the suspension of small particles in a liquid or a gas colloid .
It consists of a light source and a photosensor arranged at right angles to the light beam ( see nephelometry ). The particle density results from the amount of light reflected by the individual particles . This amount in turn depends on the nature of the particles ( shape , color , reflectivity ). A relationship between the turbidity and the suspended solids is therefore different from case to case.
A more common term for this measuring instrument in water treatment is the turbidimeter . There are different designs on the market that only differ in the arrangement of the light source and photosensor. A nephelometric turbidimeter only measures the reflection from the particles and not the attenuation of the light beam due to the cloudiness. The unit of turbidity, measured with a calibrated nephelometer, is NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Unit).
Gas phase nephelometers are used to study (planetary) atmospheres . They provide information about visibility and albedo (measure of the reflectivity of non-reflective surfaces ).
See also
Individual evidence
- ^ Brockhaus ABC Chemie , VEB FA Brockhaus Verlag Leipzig 1965, pp. 931-932.