As currently taught in the United States, introductory courses in analytical chemistryemphasize quantitative (and sometimes qualitative) methods of analysis along with a heavydose of equilibrium chemistry. Analytical chemistry, however, is much more than a collection ofanalytical methods and an understanding of equilibrium chemistry; it is an approach to solvingchemical problems. Although equilibrium chemistry and analytical methods are important, theircoverage should not come at the expense of other equally important topics.

The introductory course in analytical chemistry is the ideal place in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum forexploring topics such as experimental design, sampling, calibration strategies, standardization,optimization, statistics, and the validation of experimental results. Analytical methods comeand go, but best practices for designing and validating analytical methods are universal. Becausechemistry is an experimental science it is essential that all chemistry students understand theimportance of making good measurements.

My goal in preparing this textbook is to find a more appropriate balance between theoryand practice, between “classical” and “modern” analytical methods, between analyzing samplesand collecting samples and preparing them for analysis, and between analytical methods anddata analysis. There is more material here than anyone can cover in one semester; it is myhope that the diversity of topics will meet the needs of different instructors, while, perhaps,suggesting some new topics to cover.

Students create model elevator carriages and calibrate them, similar to the work of design and quality control engineers. Students use measurements from rotary encoders to recreate the task of calibrating elevators for a high-rise building. They translate the rotations from an encoder to correspond to the heights of different floors in a hypothetical multi-story building. Students also determine the accuracy of their model elevators in getting passengers to their correct destinations.

This course introduces theoretical and practical principles of design of oceanographic sensor systems. Topics include: transducer characteristics for acoustic, current, temperature, pressure, electric, magnetic, gravity, salinity, velocity, heat flow, and optical devices; limitations on these devices imposed by ocean environments; signal conditioning and recording; noise, sensitivity, and sampling limitations; and standards. Lectures by experts cover the principles of state-of-the-art systems being used in physical oceanography, geophysics, submersibles, acoustics. For lab work, day cruises in local waters allow students to prepare, deploy and analyze observations from standard oceanographic instruments.

Students learn about contamination and pollution, specifically in reference to soil in and around rivers. To start, groups use light sensors to take light reflection measurements of different colors of sand (dyed with various amounts of a liquid food dye), generating a set of "soil" calibration data. Then, they use a stream table with a simulated a river that has a scattering of "contaminated wells" represented by locations of unknown amounts of dye. They make visual observations and use light sensors again to take reflection measurements and refer to their earlier calibration data to determine the level of "contamination" (color dye) in each well. Acting as engineers, they determine if their measured data is comparable to visual observations. The small-scale simulated flowing river shows how contamination can spread.

 In this lesson, students will name the most common methods for determining solution pH and then explain how to use as pH meter based on standard operating procedures and explain the process of calibrating a pH meter.