Analytical chemistry

     Analytical chemistry studies and uses instruments and methods used to separate, identify, and quantify matter.  In practice, separation, identification or quantification may constitute the entire analysis or be combined with another method.  

     Separation isolates analytes.  Qualitative analysis identifies analytes, while quantitative analysis determisnes the numberical amount or concetration. analytical chemistry is the science of obtaining, processing, and communicating information about the composition and structure of matter.

     In other words, it is the art and science of determining what matter is and how much of it exists.  It is one of the most popular fields of work for ACS chemists.  Analytical chemistry consists of classical wet chemical methods and modern, instrumental methods.  classical qualitative methods use separations such as precipitation, extraction, and distillation.  Identification may be based on differences in color, odor, melting point, boiling point, solubility, radioactivity or reactivity.

     Instrumental methods may be used to separate samples using chromatography, electrophoresis or field flow fractions.  Then qualitative and quantitative analysis can be performed,often with the same instrument and may use light interaction, heat interaction, electric fields or magnetic fields.

      Analytical chemistry is also focused on improvements in experimental design, chemometrics, and the creation of new measurement tools.  Analytical chemistry has broad applications to medicine, science, and engineering.