Aims

This course focuses on current methods of quantitative chemical analysis. It brings the student to practice a classical reasoning in quantitative chemical analysis and to strengthen his basic knowledge in this field. This project includes the familiarisation with the resolution methodology of a full analytical problem, starting from sampling to the evaluation and discussion of results. The cluster that also comprises CHM 1322 ensures a basic formation in analytical chemistry for the program in chemical sciences. This formation not only provides an excellent practice on analytical techniques, but also allows the student to develop schemes and analysis methods in a rigorous way, relying on physical chemistry concepts and an analytical thinking.

Main themes

At first, the course brings the student to a good knowledge in solution thermodynamics and to the quantitative prediction of their behaviour. Activity and standard state concepts must be used in a reasonable way at this stage. The different classes of reactions are then developed in order to rigorously exploit basic operations in quantitative chemical analysis. The study of gravimetry and titration allows illustrating fundamental bases of operating modes. Theoretical aspects of chromatographic separation methods as well as an introduction to spectrochemical analysis are given. Finally, theoretical bases and applications of potentiometry to an analytical problem are described. The student is here sensitised to important concepts such as electrode potentials, reference electrode, indicator electrode, and to the correspondence of an electrochemical circuit to the needs of analysis as well as analytical performances. The care specific to potentiometric methods is also outlined.