<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<term>
  <id>08631</id>
  <title>Kubelka–Munk function</title>
  <longtitle>IUPAC Gold Book - Kubelka–Munk function</longtitle>
  <doi>10.1351/goldbook.08631</doi>
  <code>08631</code>
  <status>current</status>
  <synonym><em>synonym</em>: remission function</synonym>
  <definitions>
    <item>
      <id>1</id>
      <text>\(f(R_{\infty}) = (1 – R_{\infty})^{2}/2R_{\infty}\), where \(R_{\infty}\) is the diffuse reflectance from a sample of infinite depth.
</text>
      <notes>
        <item>Theoretically \(f(R_{\infty})\) equals the ratio of the linear decadic absorption coefficient to the scattering coefficient. Under the assumptions of the Kubelka Munk theory, if the scattering coefficient at a given wavenumber is a constant for a given set of samples, \(f(R_{\infty})\) is directly proportional to the product of the absorption coefficient and concentration of each component of a mixture, analogous to the behaviour of absorbance under Beer’s law.</item>
      </notes>
      <links>
        <item>
          <term>diffuse reflectance</term>
          <url>https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/08235</url>
        </item>
        <item>
          <term>scattering coefficient</term>
          <url>https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/16251</url>
        </item>
        <item>
          <term>volume reflection</term>
          <url>https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/08710</url>
        </item>
        <item>
          <term>wavenumber</term>
          <url>https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/08302</url>
        </item>
      </links>
      <sources>
        <item>PAC, 2021, 93, 647. 'Glossary of methods and terms used in analytical spectroscopy (IUPAC Recommendations 2019)' on page 753 (https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2019-0203)</item>
      </sources>
    </item>
  </definitions>
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  <citation>Citation: 'Kubelka–Munk function' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. 10.1351/goldbook.08631</citation>
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  <disclaimer>The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.</disclaimer>
  <accessed>2026-07-26T18:02:42+00:00</accessed>
</term>
