91Ó°ÊÓ

• Chemical analysis is the study of a substance's chemical composition and structure.
• More broadly, it can be thought of as the collection of all procedures for obtaining precise chemical data.
• In analytical chemistry, there are two types of analysis: qualitative and quantitative.

In order to produce a meaningful conclusion, there are seven general steps in ananalytical process that must be completed:

1. Formulating the question:To shift from a broad query (e.g., "Is this water safe to drink?") to a question that can be answered through chemical analysis (e.g., "Does this water contain any harmful elements, and if so, how much?").

2. Choosing an appropriate analytical technique:To look for the relevant literature as well as an appropriate analytical method that can deliver the required measurements.

3. Sampling:The process of picking a part(s) of a material that is typical of anentire material.

4. Sample preparation:Transforming our general sample into a form suitable for chemical analysis (e.g., dissolving, masking, etc.)

5. Analyze:We can analyze by using our quantitative analytical method of choice on a sample that has been prepared,whichcan test the concentration of an analyte in a few similar quantities this way (aliquots).

6. Reporting and interpretation: once we have the data, we need to prepare a report that includes our interpretation of the findings as well as our conclusions. It is possible to draw attention to certain details and restrictions.

7. Drawing conclusions: In order to have a better grasp of our findings and correctly communicate them, we could create a graphic representation of the findings.