Fundamental Apparatus and Operations

Abstract

As pointed out previously, final identification of a substance is achieved by measurement of the physical constants either of the original material or of a derivative or degradation product. It is obvious that the certainty of the identification depends upon the reliability of the value of this constant. This in turn depends upon purity of the test substance. Aside from the application of analytical reasoning to the selection and interpretation of the reactions performed, the skill and care applied to the experimental work are the most important factors in obtaining the correct end product with satisfactory purity and thus successful analysis.