91Ó°ÊÓ

• Combustion analysis is a method used in both organic and analytical chemistry to determine the elemental composition (more precisely, empirical formula) of a pure organic compound by combusting the sample under conditions that allow the combustion products to be quantitatively analysed.
• After determining the number of moles of each combustion product, the empirical formula or a partial empirical formula of the original compound can be calculated.

The following are the reasons why tin is used encapsulate a sample for combustion analysis:

• It acts as an oxidation catalyst
• Tin capsule melts and is being oxidized to ${\mathrm{SnO}}_2$in order to liberate heat and allow the sample to crack
• Tin immediately uses available oxygen
• Ensures that oxidation of sample occurs in gas phase