Infrared radiation can be used to identify compounds but I noticed that the spectra are usually drawn using percentage transmittance rather than percentage absorbance . Why is that ?
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1One reason: you identify weak transitions more easily by looking at transmission (more light transmitted than absorbed), and if you're normalizing spectral intensities, those weak ones get washed out if you went by absorption (more intense lines for strong transitions). – Todd Minehardt Dec 03 '18 at 00:16
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1The original experimental measurement is of transmittance, so why mess with it? – Jon Custer Dec 03 '18 at 13:57