1. Preface
This document contains user information for the Kronos flash photolysis spectrometer. Kronos is
conceived to be a simple, user-friendly device for demonstrating to chemistry students the
fundamental principles of Chemical Kinetics. Every process labeled as “chemical” occurs as the
result of chemical bonds being broken or formed, i.e. nuclei change their spatial positions with
respect to each other. Chemical Kinetics is one of the major divisions of Physical Chemistry and is
basically the quantitative study of the rates and mechanisms of chemical reactions. Chemical
change can be induced in a variety of ways; the one employed in Kronos is by absorption of light.
Thus, the instrument serves also as a way of introducing the student to the concepts and practice
of Photochemistry.
Read this Documentation carefully before operating the spectrometer for the first time. Special
attention should be given to Section 2: General Safety.
5
