LG 1.1 The Role of Analytical Chemistry

Analytical Chemistry

The branch of chemistry concerned with the determination of the identity and quantity of an analyte in a given sample.

Analyte

A specific substance or component of interest that is being analyzed.

Sample

The material or mixture that contains the analyte, serving as the broader context for analysis.

Matrix

The components of a sample other than the analyte of interest.

Quantitative Analysis

The determination of the amount of a certain substance present in a sample.

Qualitative Analysis

The determination of what substance is present in the sample.

Gravimetric Analysis

A classical method of analysis that measures the mass of a substance to determine its quantity.

Titrimetric Analysis

A classical method used to determine the concentration of a substance in a solution by adding a reagent of known concentration until a reaction is completed.

Spectroscopy

An instrumental method that studies the interaction between electromagnetic radiation and matter to provide information about molecular structure and chemical composition.

Chromatography

An instrumental separation technique used to separate and identify individual components within a mixture based on different partitioning between stationary and mobile phases.

Mass Spectrometry

An instrumental technique that identifies compounds based on their molecular mass and fragmentation patterns by ionizing a sample and detecting ions based on their mass-to-charge ratios.

Detection

The process of determining whether a sample contains a specific substance.

Identification

The process of determining the identity of a substance in a sample.

Separation

The process of isolating the species of interest from the sample matrix.