Saturday, February 16, 2013

word of the day: isosbestic

The word of the day is isosbestic:

Etymology:  < German isosbestisch (A. Thiel et al. 1924, in Fortschr. d. Chem. XVIII. 116), < Greek ἴσος equal + σβεστ-ός extinguished ( < σβεννύναι to quench, extinguish): see -ic suffix.(Show Less)
Physical Chem.
1.   isosbestic point n. a wave-length at which the absorption of light by a liquid remains constant as the acidity varies or, more generally, as the state of equilibrium between two interconvertible substances or states shifts. (OED)


"Successive uv spectra of the irradiated diazirine showed an isosbestic point under these conditions."

 - Richard A. G. Smith and Jeremy R. Knowles, "Aryldiazirines.  Potential Reagents for Photolabeling of Biological Receptor Sites", Journal of the American Chemical Society 95:15 (July 25, 1973)

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