Analytical technique is a method used to determine a chemical or physical property of a
chemical substance
A chemical substance is a form of matter having constant chemical composition and characteristic properties. Some references add that chemical substance cannot be separated into its constituent elements by physical separation methods, i.e., wit ...
,
chemical element
A chemical element is a species of atoms that have a given number of protons in their atomic nucleus, nuclei, including the pure Chemical substance, substance consisting only of that species. Unlike chemical compounds, chemical elements canno ...
, or mixture. There is a wide variety of techniques used for analysis, from simple weighing to advanced techniques using highly specialized instrumentation.
Classical methods of analysis
Classical analysis methods involve basic analytical methods widely used in laboratories.
Gravimetric analysis measures the weight of the sample.
Titrimetry is a technique used to determine the concentration of the analyte.
Spectrochemical analysis
Spectrometer
A spectrometer () is a scientific instrument used to separate and measure spectral components of a physical phenomenon. Spectrometer is a broad term often used to describe instruments that measure a continuous variable of a phenomenon where the ...
can determine chemical composition through its measure of spectrums. The common spectrometer used in analytical chemistry is
Mass spectrometry
Mass spectrometry (MS) is an analytical technique that is used to measure the mass-to-charge ratio of ions. The results are presented as a '' mass spectrum'', a plot of intensity as a function of the mass-to-charge ratio. Mass spectrometry is u ...
. In a mass spectrometer, a small amount of sample is ionized and converted to gaseous ions, where they are separated and analyzed according to their
mass-to-charge ratios.
Electroanalytical analysis
Electroanalytical methods utilize the potential or current of a
electrochemical cell
An electrochemical cell is a device capable of either generating electrical energy from chemical reactions or using electrical energy to cause chemical reactions. The electrochemical cells which generate an electric current are called voltaic o ...
. The three main sections of this type of analysis are
potentiometry,
coulometry Coulometry determines the amount of matter transformed during an electrolysis reaction by measuring the amount of electricity (in coulombs) consumed or produced. It can be used for precision measurements of charge, and the amperes even used to have ...
and
voltammetry. Potentiometry measures the cell's potential, coulometry measures the cell's current, and voltammetry measures the change in current when cell potential changes.
Chromatography
Chromatography
In chemical analysis, chromatography is a laboratory technique for the separation of a mixture into its components. The mixture is dissolved in a fluid solvent (gas or liquid) called the ''mobile phase'', which carries it through a system ( ...
separates the analyte from the rest of the sample so that it may be measured without interference from other compounds.
There are different types of chromatography that differ from the media they use to separate the analyte and the sample.
In
Thin-layer chromatography, the analyte mixture moves up and separates along the coated sheet under the volatile mobile phase. In
Gas chromatography
Gas chromatography (GC) is a common type of chromatography used in analytical chemistry for separating and analyzing compounds that can be vaporized without decomposition. Typical uses of GC include testing the purity of a particular substanc ...
, gas separates the volatile analytes. A common method for chromatography using liquid as a mobile phase is
High-performance liquid chromatography.
See also
*
List of chemical analysis methods
*
List of materials analysis methods
This is a list of analysis methods used in materials science. Analysis methods are listed by their acronym, if one exists.
Symbols
* μSR – see muon spin spectroscopy
* χ – see magnetic susceptibility
A
* AAS – Atomic absorption spec ...
*
Microanalysis
Microanalysis is the chemical identification and quantitative analysis of very small amounts of chemical substances (generally less than 10 mg or 1 ml) or very small surfaces of material (generally less than 1 cm2). One of the pionee ...
*
Ion beam analysis
*
Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy
*
Nuclear reaction analysis
Nuclear may refer to:
Physics
Relating to the nucleus of the atom:
*Nuclear engineering
* Nuclear physics
* Nuclear power
* Nuclear reactor
* Nuclear weapon
*Nuclear medicine
* Radiation therapy
* Nuclear warfare
Mathematics
* Nuclear space
* ...
*
Radioanalytical chemistry Radioanalytical chemistry focuses on the analysis of sample for their radionuclide content. Various methods are employed to purify and identify the radioelement of interest through chemical methods and sample measurement techniques.
History
T ...
*
Calorimeter
References
Analytical chemistry
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