Instrumental methods - using machines rather than using chemical tests to analyse a substance
Benefits of instrumental analysis:
Very sensitive - can detect even the tiniest amounts of substances
Very fast - test can even be automated
Very accurate - no human error involved
Examples of instrumental analysis
Infrared spectroscopy - produces a graph showing which frequencies of Infrared radiation a substance will absorb, and use this to identify the molecule
Ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy - similar to infrared spectroscopy but using UV radiation
Gas chromatography - separates the substances, produces a graph with one peak for each chemical, and using the retention time to find out the molecule
