What is the function of a cuvette in spectrophotometry?

In spectrophotometry, a cuvette serves the essential function of holding a sample for analysis. It is a small, transparent container that is specifically designed to allow light to pass through it without significant scattering or absorption. This transparency is crucial as it enables the accurate measurement of the absorbance or transmittance of the sample when it is illuminated by light of a specific wavelength. The cuvette must be made from materials like glass or quartz that do not interfere with the measurement by absorbing the same wavelengths of light being analyzed.

Using a cuvette allows for consistent and reproducible results in spectral analysis, as the dimensions and path length of the cuvette are standardized. This ensures that comparison between samples is valid and reliable, allowing for precise calculations related to concentration and other properties of the solution under study.