Beer-Lambert Law Graph

Interactive chart showing the ideal linear relationship between absorbance and concentration - and where real solutions deviate.

Beer-Lambert Law Graph: Absorbance vs. Concentration

L·mol-1·cm-1
cm
06.0e-41.2e-31.8e-32.4e-33.0e-30.00.51.01.52.02.53.0Concentration (mol/L)AbsorbanceLinear RegionDeviation RegionIdeal (Beer-Lambert)Real behavior

At low concentrations the absorbance increases linearly with concentration, exactly as the Beer-Lambert law predicts (A = εlc). Above roughly A ≈ 2, real measurements deviate from the ideal line because of stray light, detector saturation, molecular interactions, and fluorescence re-absorption. The green dashed curve shows this saturation effect modeled as Areal = Amax(1 − e−εlc / Amax). Reliable quantitative work should stay within the linear region.

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The Equation Explained

Understand what each variable in A = εlc means and how they connect to the graph.

Limitations

Learn why the graph curves at high concentrations and when Beer's law breaks down.

Calculator

Plug in values from the graph and solve for absorbance, concentration, or any other variable.