How do I rank substances from greatest to least absorbance on an absorbance vs time graph? The graph is from page 2 of a PNAS article entitled "Equilibrium and kinetic constants for the thiol-disulfide interchange reaction between glutathione and dithiothreitol" (sorry it won't let me link it)

Like does it have to do with the height of the spikes or is it the time?

To rank substances from greatest to least absorbance on an absorbance vs time graph, you would typically consider the height or intensity of the spikes rather than the time. The spikes represent the absorbance of each substance at different time points. Higher absorbance values indicate greater absorption of light by the substance, which is often associated with higher concentrations or greater interaction with light.

To determine the ranking, follow these steps:

1. Identify the spikes on the absorbance vs time graph. Each spike corresponds to a different substance or condition being measured.

2. Determine the peak height of each spike. The peak height represents the maximum absorbance value reached by each substance.

3. Compare the peak heights of the spikes. The substance with the highest peak height has the greatest absorbance, indicating stronger light absorption.

4. Arrange the substances in descending order based on their peak heights. The substance with the highest peak height should be ranked first, followed by the substance with the second-highest peak height, and so on.

While I cannot access the specific PNAS article you mentioned, following these general steps should help you analyze the absorbance vs time graph and rank the substances accordingly.