Name a common instrument used in spectroscopic analysis.

The ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer is a common instrument used in spectroscopic analysis because it is widely applicable and allows for the measurement of absorbance or transmittance of light in the ultraviolet and visible regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. This method is particularly useful for identifying and quantifying substances based on their electronic transitions, making it valuable for applications in chemistry, biochemistry, and environmental analysis.

UV-Vis spectrophotometry is often chosen due to its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and rapid analysis times, allowing for the determination of concentration using Beer's Law. This technique is commonly used to analyze solutions containing chromophores, which are compounds that absorb light. The ability to provide quick and reliable results makes the UV-Vis spectrophotometer essential in laboratories for both qualitative and quantitative analyses.

Other instruments mentioned in the options have their specific applications in analytical chemistry, but they may not be as universally applicable to spectroscopic analysis for general purposes as the UV-Vis spectrophotometer.