Chemical analysis methods to identify elements in compounds

From time immemorial, man has been crazy about compounds, elements and their nature as to how they are formed and how they react which each other. Thus, the immersing field of chemistry came in to existence. This field got its name from an Arabic word alchemy which involves spells and enchantments. It is said in alchemy that there is also a possibility of changing all the metals to gold and that there is an elixir which can keep you immortal.

When time progressed, man not only experimented with reactions between different compounds and substances, but started analyzing every single element present in the chemical substances. But for this purpose, he needed to create powerful machines and tools since atoms are at microscopic levels and working with them requires some quantitative techniques which can help look into the matter form. Thus originated the analyzing devices such as Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer and gas chromatograph, which helped chemists to go deep in to compounds and analyze what they are made of. Atomic Absorption Spectrometer operates in the principle of absorption of light by elements in the compound.

Gas chromatograph is also an analysis technique where in two phases are involved; one is gas phase and other is the liquid phase. Here, the gas phase is mobile and the liquid phase is stationary. The compound to be analyzed is superheated to such an extent that it forms a gaseous mixture of elements and then this mixture is allowed to pass through a glass column.