Essay On Qualitative Analysis

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Qualitative Analysis:
There are two general form of analysis; Quantitative analysis and Qualitative analysis. Quantitative analysis determines the quantity of a substance as Qualitative analysis identifies its quality. It can be considered as a branch of chemistry. One which is limited to identification of a singular or group of elements, ions, or compounds in a sample. It is, nearly, always applied when in need of performing an experiment, test, etc…since it is usually the qualitative analysis which is performed prior to the quantitative analysis (but can be performed together).
The techniques or methods employed for such identification vary in complexity and are dependent on the nature and/or purpose of the sample being identified. It is also customary to divide the identification procedures into two classes: qualitative organic analysis and qualitative inorganic analysis. Qualitative organic analysis is the more complex of the two. It is limited to only using instrumental methods of identification such as electrophoresis (the movement of charged particles through a liquid or a gel caused by an electric field). It is as well as the least common or applicable of the two due to the millions of possible organic compounds with which only a few thousands have been identified.
The inorganic analysis is the most applicable qualitative analysis for it applies to non-carbon chemistry which includes metals, metalloids, hydrogen ions etc… Thus it is used the majority of the time. The techniques are not limited to instrumental methods such as organic qualitative analysis. It uses both, instrumental and/or manual methods. In certain cases it is necessary to only identify certain elements, ions or compounds of the sample, for which special...

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...rs. Thus, the process can be repeated multiple times to determine the remaining ion(s) by adding a different reactant, but only after the precipitate is successively filtered which can be used in a flame test as verification.
Those are two examples of the testing techniques of the unique branch of chemistry. Qualitative analysis is the identification of what is present within the sample, not the how much. It deals with determining the identities of the unknown ions, elements, and/or compounds in a substance. The techniques of identification will depend on whether one is in need of identifying an organic substance or an inorganic substance, as well as the nature and purpose of the sample. Thus the methods will vary in complexity. It will also depend on the budget for different test have very different costs; mainly between instrumental methods and manual methods.

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