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Chemical Analysis, Organic Chemistry and Materials

Instrumental methods and flame photometry

  • 3 things to know
  • Paper 2

Overview

What instrumental methods are and their advantages and disadvantages, using a calibration curve to find a concentration and diluting samples beyond its range, and identifying metal ions with a flame photometer by comparison with reference data.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Evaluation

Give three advantages of instrumental analysis over tests carried out by hand.

Key term

Explain why instrumental methods are more accurate than judging the colour of a precipitate by eye.

Evaluation

Give one disadvantage of using instrumental methods of analysis.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is meant by an instrumental method of analysis?

    Model answer

    It is a method that uses a machine to detect and measure the substances present in a sample.

  2. 2

    Give three advantages of instrumental analysis over tests carried out by hand.

    Model answer

    Instruments are more sensitive, more accurate and much faster.

  3. 3

    What does it mean to say that an instrumental method is more sensitive?

    Model answer

    It can detect very small amounts of a substance that a test-tube test would fail to show.

  4. 4

    Explain why instrumental methods are more accurate than judging the colour of a precipitate by eye.

    Model answer

    The instrument measures the result directly, so it does not depend on a person judging a colour, which reduces human error.

  5. 5

    Give one disadvantage of using instrumental methods of analysis.

    Model answer

    The equipment is expensive and needs specially trained people to operate it and interpret the results.

  6. 6

    Suggest why instrumental analysis is used to check thousands of drinking water samples.

    Model answer

    The instruments work quickly and detect very low concentrations, so many samples can be checked reliably in a short time.

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