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Flashcards covering the fundamentals of analytical chemistry, including terminology, classification of constituents, analytical functions, laboratory equipment, and measurement techniques based on the lecture notes.

Analytical Chemistry

A measurement science consisting of a set of powerful ideas and methods that are useful in all fields of science, engineering, and medicine.

Qualitative analysis

A type of analysis that reveals the identity of the constituents (elements and compounds) in a sample.

Quantitative analysis

A type of analysis that indicates the amount of each substance in a sample and measures the exact amount of the substance of interest.

Analytes

The components of a sample that are determined either through qualitative or quantitative analysis.

Fundamental Research

Scientific investigations aimed at expanding knowledge of the principles, theories, and mechanisms involved in the analysis of chemical substances.

Product Quality Control

An application of analytical chemistry that ensures products consistently meet established standards for quality, safety, and performance.

Accuracy

The closeness of an experimental measurement or result to the true or accepted value.

Analyte

The constituent of the sample which is to be studied by quantitative measurements or identified qualitatively.

Assay

A highly accurate determination of a valuable constituent in a material of large bulk or the assessment of the purity of a material.

Background

The proportion of a measurement which arises from sources other than the analyte itself.

Blank

A measurement in which the sample is replaced by a simulated matrix, used to correct for background effects and account for analytes introduced during analysis.

Calibration

A procedure that enables the response of an instrument to be related to the mass, volume, or concentration of an analyte by measuring a standard of known composition.

Concentration

The amount of a substance present in a given mass or volume of another substance, often indicated by w/w, w/v, or v/v.

Major Constituent

A component of a sample that makes up more than $10\%$ of the total.

Minor Constituent

A component of a sample that makes up $0.01 - 10\%$ of the total.

Trace Constituent

A component of a sample that makes up $1 - 100\,\text{ppm}$ ($0.0001 - 0.01\%$).

Ultratrace Constituent

A component of a sample that makes up less than $1\,\text{ppm}$ of the total.

Detection Limit

The smallest amount or concentration of an analyte that can be detected by a given procedure with a given degree of confidence.

Determination

A quantitative measure of an analyte with an accuracy considerably better than $10\%$ of the amount present.

Equivalent

The amount of a substance which produces, reacts with, or can be indirectly equated with one mole ($6.023 \times 1023$) of hydrogen ions.

Estimation

A semi-quantitative measure having an accuracy no better than about $10\%$ of the amount present.

Interference

An effect which alters or obscures the behavior of an analyte in an analytical procedure, arising from the sample, contaminants, reagents, or instrumentation.

Internal Standard

A compound or element added to all calibration standards and samples in a constant known amount.

Masking

The treatment of a sample with a reagent to prevent interference with the response of the analyte by other constituents of the sample.

Matrix

The collection of all components in a sample containing an analyte; the remainder of the sample of which the analyte forms a part.

Method

The overall description of the instructions for a particular analysis.

Precision

The random or indeterminate error associated with a measurement often represented by standard deviation; also known as variability.

Primary Standard

A substance whose purity and stability are particularly well established and with which other standards may be compared.

Reagent

A chemical used to produce a specified reaction in relation to an analytical procedure.

Sample

A substance or portion of a substance about which analytical information is required.

Sensitivity

The change in instrument response from an analyte relative to a small variation in the amount being determined, equal to the slope of the calibration curve.

Standard

A pure substance which reacts in a known stoichiometric manner with the analyte or is used to calibrate an instrument.

Standard Addition

A method of quantitative analysis where the response from an analyte is measured before and after adding a known amount of that analyte to the sample.

Standardization

Determination of the concentration of an analyte or reagent solution from its reaction with a standard or primary standard.

Technique

The principle upon which a group of methods is based.

Validation of Methods

The process of analyzing standards with accepted analyte content and similar matrix to ensure results are as accurate as possible.

Reagent Grade Chemicals

Chemicals that conform to the minimum standards set by the Reagent Chemical Committee of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Primary-standard Grade

Highly purified reagents analyzed by the supplier with results printed on the label, often sourced from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Analytical balance

An instrument for determining mass with a maximum capacity from $1\,\text{g}$ to a few kilograms and precision of at least $1$ part in $105$.

Macrobalance

Common analytical balance with a maximum capacity between $160$ and $200\,\text{g}$ and a standard deviation of $60.1\,\text{mg}$.

Semimicroanalytical balance

A balance with a maximum loading of $10$ to $30\,\text{g}$ and a precision of $60.01\,\text{mg}$.

Microanalytical balance

A balance with a capacity of $1$ to $3\,\text{g}$ and a precision of $60.001\,\text{mg}$ ($1\,\mu\text{g}$).

To Contain (TC)

A calibration designation indicating a pipet holds a particular volume but does not dispense that exact volume.

To Deliver (TD)

A calibration designation indicating a pipet will dispense the exact volume indicated by gravity flow.

Volumetric pipet

A transfer pipet designed to dispense aqueous solutions, characterized by a cylindrical bulb and high degree of accuracy and precision.

Ostwald-Folin Pipette

A transfer pipette with a large bulb close to the delivery tip and an etched ring indicating it is a blow-out pipette.

Meniscus

The curved surface of a liquid at its interface with the atmosphere.

Parallax

A condition causing volume misreading if the meniscus is viewed from above (appears smaller) or below (appears larger) the level of the liquid surface.

Burette

A wide, long, graduated vessel with a stopcock used to dispense particular volumes of liquid during a titration.

Erlenmeyer Flask

A laboratory vessel with a wide bottom that gradually evolves into a smaller, short neck.

Griffin beaker

A flat-bottomed vessel with straight sides and a small spout in the lip for pouring.