Author Description

As the study of the interaction of light with matter, photochemistry is concerned with some of the most essential processes in nature. This interdisciplinary text describes the fundamental chemistry involved, and explains many of the critical ways in which photochemical changes affect life on Earth. The central chapters describe the different ways in which a light-excited entity may react or undergo radiative or radiationless decay. Some of the more important experimental techniques in the field are explained and a brief introduction is provided to the study of the detailed dynamics of photochemical processes, including the utilization of energy in specific quantum states of the starting species. With a careful balance of theory and practical applications, the book surveys natural photochemical processes and some industrial and experimental uses, including the synthesis of new and complex organic species, numerous kinds of imaging and photographic techniques, and solar energy.