Chemistry is the study of matter, including its composition, its structure, its physical properties, and its reactivity. Although there are many ways to study chemistry, traditionally we divide it into five areas: organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, physical chemistry, and analytical chemistry. This division is historical and, perhaps, arbitrary, as suggested by current interest in interdisciplinary areas, such as bioanalytical chemistry and organometallic chemistry. Nevertheless, these five areas remain the simplest division that spans the discipline of chemistry.
Each of these traditional areas of chemistry brings a unique perspective to how a chemist makes sense of the diverse array of elements, ions, and molecules (both small and large) that make up our physical environment. An undergraduate chemistry course, therefore, is much more than a collection of facts; it is, instead, the means by which we learn to see the chemical world from a different perspective. In keeping with this spirit, this chapter introduces you to the field of analytical chemistry and highlights the unique perspectives that analytical chemists bring to the study of chemistry.
- 1.1: What is Analytical Chemistry
- Let’s begin with a deceptively simple question: What is analytical chemistry? Like all areas of chemistry, analytical chemistry is so broad in scope and so much in flux that it is difficult to find a simple definition more revealing than that quoted above. In this chapter we will try to expand upon this simple definition by saying a little about what analytical chemistry is, as well as a little about what analytical chemistry is not.
- 1.2: The Analytical Perspective
- Having noted that each area of chemistry brings a unique perspective to the study of chemistry, let’s ask a second deceptively simple question: What is the analytical perspective? Many analytical chemists describe this perspective as an analytical approach to solving problems.
- 1.3: Common Analytical Problems
- Typical problems on which analytical chemists work include qualitative analyses (Is lead present in this sample ?), quantitative analyses (How much lead is present in this sample?), characterization analyses (What are the sample’s chemical and physical properties?), and fundamental analyses (How does this method work and how can it be improved?).
- 1.4: Problems
- End-of-chapter problems to test your understanding of topics in this chapter.
- 1.5: Additional Resources
- A compendium of resources to accompany topics in this chapter.
- 1.6: Chapter Summary and Key Terms
- Summary of chapter's main topics and a list of key terms introduced in the chapter.
Thumbnail: Several graduated cylinders of various thickness and heights with white side markings in front of a large beaker. They are all filled about halfway with red or blue chemical compounds. The blue ink is showing signs of Brownian motion when dissolving into water. Image used with permission (CC BY-SA 3.0; Horia Varlan from Bucharest, Romania).
Kemia ni utafiti wa vitu, kutia ndani muundo wake, muundo wake, sifa zake za kimwili, na uwezo wake wa kuitikia. Ingawa kuna njia nyingi za kujifunza kemia, kwa kawaida tunaigawanya katika maeneo matano: kemia ya kikaboni, kemia ya asilia, biokemia, kemia ya kimwili, na kemia ya uchambuzi. Hii ni sehemu ya kihistoria na, labda, arbitrary, kama kupendekezwa na maslahi ya sasa katika maeneo ya interdisciplinary, kama vile bioanalytical kemia na kemia organometallic. Hata hivyo, maeneo hayo matano bado ndiyo mgawanyiko sahili zaidi unaozunguka taaluma ya kemia. Kila moja ya maeneo haya ya jadi ya kemia huleta mtazamo wa kipekee kwa jinsi mtaalamu wa kemia anavyoelewa safu mbalimbali za elementi, ioni, na molekuli (ndogo na kubwa) ambazo huunda mazingira yetu ya kimwili. Kwa hiyo, kozi ya shahada ya kwanza ya kemia ni zaidi ya mkusanyiko wa ukweli; badala yake, ni njia ambayo tunajifunza kuona ulimwengu wa kemikali kutoka kwa mtazamo tofauti. Kwa kuzingatia roho hii, sura hii inakujulisha uwanja wa kemia ya uchambuzi na inaangazia mtazamo wa kipekee ambao wanakemia wa uchambuzi huleta kwa utafiti wa kemia. "Kama ""Analytical Chemistry"" inamaanisha nini, basi ni muhimu kujua ""Analytical Chemistry"" ni nini." Kama ilivyo katika nyanja zote za kemia, kemia ya uchambuzi ina wigo mkubwa sana na inaendelea kubadilika sana hivi kwamba ni vigumu kupata ufafanuzi rahisi unaoonyesha zaidi kuliko ule uliotajwa hapo juu. Katika sura hii tutajaribu kupanua juu ya ufafanuzi huu rahisi kwa kusema kidogo kuhusu nini kemia ya uchambuzi ni, pamoja na kidogo kuhusu nini kemia ya uchambuzi si. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, kila eneo la kemia huleta mtazamo wa kipekee kwa utafiti wa kemia, hebu tuulize swali la pili la udanganyifu rahisi: ""Ni nini mtazamo wa uchambuzi?""" Wanakemia wengi wa uchambuzi hufafanua mtazamo huu kuwa mbinu ya uchambuzi ya kutatua matatizo. "Mfano: ""Kichwa cha majaribio"" ni aina ya majaribio ambayo wanasayansi wa kemikali ya uchambuzi hufanya kwa kutumia chembe za chuma, kama vile ""Kichwa cha majaribio"" na ""Kichwa cha majaribio""." Uchunguzi wa kiasi (Ni kiasi gani cha risasi kinachopatikana katika sampuli hii? ), uchambuzi wa tabia (Ni nini sampuli ya kemikali na fizikia mali? (Mfano wa msingi wa utafiti wa msingi) - Jinsi ya kufanya kazi na jinsi ya kuboresha. "Mfano: ""Msemo wa mwisho wa sura"" - ni mtihani wa uelewa wako wa mambo yaliyo katika sura hii." - 1.5: Rasilimali za ziada - mkusanyiko wa rasilimali za kuandamana na mada katika sura hii. 1.6.: muhtasari wa sura na maneno muhimu - muhtasari wa mada kuu ya sura na orodha ya maneno muhimu kuanzishwa katika sura. Picha ndogo: Silinda kadhaa zilizochaguliwa za unene na urefu tofauti na alama nyeupe za upande mbele ya kikombe kikubwa. Zote zimejaa kemikali nyekundu au bluu karibu nusu. Wino wa bluu unaonyesha dalili za mwendo wa Brownian unapolevya katika maji. Picha kutumika kwa ruhusa (CC BY-SA 3.0; Horia Varlan kutoka Bucharest, Romania).