Analytical chemistry

Analytical chemistry is the analysis of material samples to gain an understanding of their chemical composition and structure.

Types

Analytical chemistry can be split into two main types, qualitative and quantitative:

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• Qualitative inorganic analysis seeks to establish the presence of a given element or inorganic compound in a sample.
• Qualitative organic analysis seeks to establish the presence of a given functional group or organic compound in a sample.
• Quantitative analysis seeks to establish the amount of a given element or compound in a sample.

Most modern analytical chemistry is quantitative. Quantitative analysis can be further split into different areas of study. The material can be analyzed for the amount of an element or for the amount of an element in a specific chemical species. The latter is of particular interest in biological systems; the molecules of life contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and others, in many complex structures.

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