Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
An analyte refers to any substance whose chemical constituents are being identified and measured. In a titration, it's the solution of unknown concentration.
In chemistry, a sample refers to a small portion of substance taken from a larger amount and tested in order to gauge its properties.
Qualitative Analysis: This refers to the identification of substances present in a sample, rather than their quantities. It would be like identifying that your coffee has caffeine (a substance), but not how much.
Quantitative Analysis: This involves determining the exact amount or concentration of certain substances in a sample - like finding out exactly how much caffeine is in your cup of coffee.