Classical Methods of Analysis
Text 33 A Classical Methods of Analysis - раздел Образование, Part One THE PREDICATE Strange As It May Seem Now, The Analyst And The "works Chemist" Of ...
Strange as it may seem now, the analyst and the "works chemist" of the 18th and 19th ccnturics depended almost entirely on what arc frequently defined today as the classical methods of analysis, namely, gravimetric analysis and volumetric analysis. Gravimetric analysis is based on methods of determining the weights of the respective constituents of a product, whereas volumetric analysis is based on volumes rather than weights, the volumes being determined by a process known as titration — that is, determination of the strength of acid and basic solutions.
Difficult as the situation of the so-called "works chcmist" during the industrial revolution was, it was not the sole reason for the decline of the glamour and prestige of the analyst in the early days of the science of chcmistry.
Following the logical sequence of events, it is not at all strange that chcmist, having taken natural substanccs apart in order to determine their constituent elements, would then begin gradually to think about synthesizing in a test-tube, at least some of the useful things found in nature. The next logical step, of course, was to begin to think about producing tilings not found in the natural state. Thus, wc had an evolution of research, principally in organic chcmistry, directed towards synthesizing old or new compounds, chiefly the latter.
About halfway between World War I and World War II, the analytical chcmist gradually began to experience a renaissance in his status with
other members of the profession and with management. Quality became a very important factor in cvcr-incrcasing competitive markets. With this wclcomc changc there camc a demand for more rapid and more accuratc methods of analysis. This demand led to a tremendous amount of research related to the broad field of analysis. New scientific concepts were introduced, many of them based on what might be called physical chcmistry.
