Instrumental Methods Flashcards
Advantages of using machines
Can be operated by technicians instead of trained chemists, more accurate than lab methods and can detect the tiniest amounts of substances, much faster and can be automated.
Disadvantages of using machines
Expensive to buy, run and maintain.
What does atomic absorption spectroscopy indentify?
Metals
Atomic absorption spectroscopy…
Like a flame test machine, the patterns of light are absorbed by the metals each metal produces a different pattern. It’s faster and more reliable than the human eye. Used by the steel industry.
Infrared spectroscopy
Identifies the frequencies of IR absorbed, pattern of absorbance is unique for each compound.
Ultraviolet spectroscopy
Uses UV to identify the different compounds
Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Used for organic compounds shows what the hydrogen atoms are connected to which helps find the structure of the molecule by telling you if there are groups of -OH, -NH2 etc.
Gas- liquid chromatography
Similar principle to paper chromatography, used to identify gases an liquids.
Mass spectrometry
Can be used for both elements and compounds, tells you the mass of each molecule/particle therefore for elects exactly what what element you have got.
