Principle of atomic emission spectrometry:

The analyte sample is introduced into the centre of the plasma as an aerosol with the help of a nebuliser using argon flow. In the plasma the sample undergoes various transformations like desolvation, vaporization, atomisation, ionisation and excitation. As the energy of the plasma source is quite high it   ensures the excitation of the atoms of all the elements present in the sample which then relax by emitting EM radiation of characteristic wavelengths of different elements. The emitted radiation are then utilised for the qualitative and quantitative determinations of the analyte.