ACHM 321: Quantitative Analysis
Quantitative analysis is an introduction course into the field of analytical chemistry. Analytical chemistry is an exciting, growing field of chemistry. The goals of this course, as stated in the Programs bulletin, are to provide practice of volumetric and gravimetric analysis with exposure to spectroscopic, chromatographic, and electrochemical methods. Beyond these basics, my personal goal is to provide you with the answer to the question, “What is analytical chemistry?” I hope that you will see analytical chemistry as the “measurement science”, and how analytical chemistry impacts all forms of research, from medical applications to industrial product development. Modern day applications of this “measurement science” bridge the scientific fields of biochemistry, physical chemistry, biology, physics, and materials science. David Harvey, author of Modern Analytical Chemistry stated that “the craft of analytical chemistry is not in performing a routine analysis on a routine sample, but in improving established methods and techniques, extending methods to new types of samples, and developing new methods for measuring chemical phenomena.” In essence, analytical chemists are problem solvers. In this course, we will cover more traditional wet-chemistry techniques that represent the earliest beginnings of analytical chemistry as well as modern techniques utilizing state-of-the-art instrumentation. Topics covered include a short review of key concepts learned in freshman chemistry, gravimetric analysis, equilibrium chemistry, titrimetric methods of analysis, spectroscopy, chromatography, and electrochemistry.