English in Analytical Chemistry: Communicating about Methods & Techniques : книга для студента

МИНИСТЕРСТВО НАУКИ И ВЫСШЕГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ  
РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ 
Национальный исследовательский 
Томский государственный университет 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
А.В. Соболева, Н.В. Зорина 
 
 
 
 
English in Analytical Chemistry: 
Communicating about Methods & Techniques 
 
 
 
 
 
Учебное пособие 
 
Книга для студента 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Томск  
Издательство Томского государственного университета 
2022 
 

  

УДК 811.111+543(075.8) 
ББК 81.43.21+24.4я73 
  С54 
 
 
Рецензенты: 
Балуян Светлана Размиковна, доктор педагогических наук,  
профессор Южного федерального университета; 
Ярославова Светлана Николаевна, кандидат педагогических наук, доцент 
Южно-Уральского государственного университета 
 
 
Соболева А.В., Зорина Н.В. 
С54 
English in Analytical Chemistry: Communicating about Methods & Techniques : 
учеб. пособие. Книга для студента. – Томск : Издательство Томского 
государственного университета, 2022. – 107 с. 
ISBN 978-5-907572-10-2 
 
Целью настоящего учебного пособия является формирование иноязычной 
профессионально-ориентированной 
коммуникативной 
компетенции 
в 
сфере 
аналитической химии. В пособии использованы аутентичные текстовые и 
аудиовизуальные 
материалы, 
обеспечивающие 
погружение 
в 
иноязычную 
профессиональную среду химика-аналитика. Предлагаемый комплекс заданий и 
упражнений направлен на подготовку обучающихся к профессиональному общению 
на английском языке в рамках предложенных тем. 
Для студентов химических и смежных факультетов высших учебных заведений, 
преподавателей профессионального английского языка, специалистов по методике 
преподавания иностранных языков для специальных целей.  
 
УДК 811.111+543(075.8) 
ББК 81.43.21+24.4я73 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© Соболева А.В., Зорина Н.В., 2022 
ISBN 978-5-907572-10-2 
 
© Томский государственный университет, 2021 

CONTENT 
 
 
 
Unit 1. Gravimetry ..................................................    6 
Unit 2. Titrimetry .....................................................  28 
Unit 3. Chromatography and Electrophoresis ........  50 
Unit 4. Electrochemical Methods .............................  68 
Glossary .................................................................  90 
Exam Procedure……………………………………...  95 
References ............................................................ 
101
Keys to Check Yourself Sections ........................ 103

 
 

WELCOME TO THE COURSE 
 
 
 
Dear student, 
 
English in Analytical Chemistry: Communicating about 
Methods & Techniques is aimed at improving your ability 
to communicate your English effectively in the context of 
analytical chemistry and to promote academic and 
professional development. With this course, you will 
familiarize yourselves with the language of chemical 
analyses and develop your skills of chemistry-related note-
taking, summarizing, reporting, classifying, comparing, 
and describing processes and procedures.  
 
You will improve your skills in the following areas: 
✔ understanding the language of analytical chemistry in 
English; 
✔ utilizing the specific vocabulary of analytical chemistry 
in English; 
✔ reading and understanding analytical chemistry 
chapters; 
✔ contributing effectively to seminars and discussions.6 
 
The course consists of four units designed to learn, 
master, and apply the target language of analytical 
chemistry in English. You can find the learning objectives 
for each unit at the beginning and a brief final self-check 
test to estimate your achievements. At the back of the 
book, there is a glossary of terms, tests and useful 
reference materials. 

We wish you success! 

 

Acknowledgements 
 
The authors express their gratitude to all the students 
of Chemistry Department of Tomsk State University for 
their 
invaluable 
support, 
boundless 
creativity, 
and 
significant contribution to the making of the present book.  
We would like to give our special thanks to Angela 
Boyarintseva, Yaroslav Laletin, Mark Mikhalchenkov, 
Kseniia Kazantseva, Mikhail Kovtunov, Mariia Monakhova, 
Mariia Stepanenko, Eduard Sayfulin, Alexey Taratayko, 
and Alexander Zorin for consulting, co-working, and 
constant cooperation. 

 
 

Unit 1 
GRAVIMETRY 
 
 
 
Learning objectives 
 
In Unit 1, you will learn to define basic terms and to explain the principles of 
gravimetry, as well as speak about the chief gravimetric types, techniques, 
and typical gravimetric procedure.  
 
 
 
 
 
Gravimetric analysis is one of the most accurate and precise 
methods of macroquantitative analysis. Theodore W. Richards 
used it to determine atomic weights. He received the Nobel Prize 
in 1914 for his work. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Theodore W. Richards 
 
 
 

Warming up 
 
1 Work with a partner and match the common gravimetric equipment items below 
with the appropriate terms. 
 

 analytical balance    filter paper     crucible   muffle furnace  beakers   washing bottle 
 

1__________________ 
2__________________ 

 

3__________________ 
4__________________ 

 
5__________________ 
6__________________ 
 
 

2 Work with the partner and formulate the basic facts for gravimetry as 3 separate 
coherent sentences. Then answer the questions using your background in 
chemistry and complete the basic facts for gravimetry. 
 
1. What are the key steps in gravimetry?  
2. Is it a flash (=fast) or a time-consuming method? 
3. Is gravimetry accurate? Justify.. 
4. Is gravimetry an old or a new method? Why is it referred to as a classic 
analytical method?  
5. Where is gravimetry normally applied? How did you use it in your lab 
modules? How? 
6. Is it a quantitative or a qualitative method? Justify. 
7. What is the analytical signal for gravimetry?  

 
Reading and Speaking 
 
3 Read the text and draw the academic vs. chemistry mind map for the words 
highlighted in red. 
 
1. Divide the words into two columns: “Academic” – for the generic terms that 
could be used outside the scope of analytical chemistry – and “Chemical” – for specific 
terms that reflect certain aspects of AC (types of analysis, methods, typical actions, 
etc.). 
2. Provide a simple English synonym for each word if it is possible. If not, draw a 

schematic picture to visualize the word or download an associative picture from the 
Internet (if you decide to make the mind map in e-format). Make sure all of the words 
are put into their root forms.  

 
Academic words are generally used in a scientific context and suit various 
areas of science – whereas chemistry terms are used in a specific chemistry-oriented 
context only. If it is difficult for you to remember a simple synonym, resort to 
https://www.thesaurus.com/ or https://context.reverso.net/. However, do not use for 
synonyms the words you do not know yet! 
 
 
Example: 
 

 
ACADEMIC  
 
                                CHEMICAL 
    OVERALL PROCESS = PROCEDURE          MUFFLE FURNACE 
 
 

 

 

 

 
 

Gravimetry  
Gravimetry, or gravimetric analysis, is a quantitative method to determine an 
analyte concentration by weighing a pure, solid form of the analyte. The solid form is 
obtained by adding a precipitating reagent to a solution containing the analyte. The 
precipitating agent should be selective for the target analyte. One requirement for a 
primary standard is a high formula weight. Gravimetric reagents often produce high 
formula masses for the same reason, to obtain greater precision when weighing. Since 
gravimetric analysis is made using a certified weight, it is a principal method for 
preparing and certifying primary standards.  
Table 1 outlines a basic gravimetric procedure for determining the concentration 
of an analyte. The first step is not necessary in some applications, such as determining 
particulate matter in air or total suspended solids in water. In these cases, some 
amount of air or water is simply filtered to collect the solid matter. An analyte in solution 
is removed from solution by precipitation with a suitable reagent. For an analyte that is 
present as a component of a solid, the solid must be dissolved to perform the 
precipitation.  
The precipitate is collected by filtering, rinsed to remove impurities, and dried. If 
necessary a high temperature ignition converts the precipitate to a pure form. Ignition 
involves heating to a high temperature with a flame or a muffle furnace (a high 
temperature oven). All steps in a gravimetric procedure have the goal of achieving 
quantitative collection and conversion to a pure substance. When this requirement is 
met, the mass of the weighed substance can be related back to the number of moles of 
analyte in the original sample. As the following example illustrates, a real gravimetric 
laboratory procedure will have many more steps than are listed in the outline in Table 1. 
Each individual step ensures that the overall process is quantitative with a pure final 
product.  
Handbooks and procedures will list “gravimetric factors” for specific gravimetric 
methods. These factors include the formula weights of the precipitate and analyte so 
that multiplying a precipitate weight by the gravimetric factor gives the analyte weight. 
 
Table 1. Simplified Precipitation Procedure  

Step 
Purpose

Dissolve and precipitate
Separate analyte from other sample components

Filter 
Collect and wash to remove impurities 

Dry or ignite 
Convert precipitate to pure form 

Weigh on analytical balance 
Obtain experimental measurement 

Calculate concentration 
Determine unknown using reaction stoichiometry

 
(based on B.M. Tissue – The Basics of Analytical Chemistry) 
 
 
 

4 Vocabulary boost: imagine. Think of a word from the mind map you have 
devised. Prepare several riddles or puzzles via Power Point Presentations or 
simply by doodling pictures in your copybooks. Make your co-students work out 
the words relying on the visual prompts.  
 
5 Vocabulary boost: guess. Look at the riddles below. Work out which word or 
word combination it stands for. 
 
 
ACADEMIC 
1 

 
2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3 

 
 
 
 

CHEMICAL 
1.  

 
2. 

 
 
3. 

 
 

6 Match the words from column A with the words from column B to make up 
some frequently used collocations in analytical chemistry.  

A 
B

to meet 
analyte 

target 
furnace 

suitable 
impurities 

precipitating 
matter 

suspended 
process 

high 
procedure 

pure 
product  

muffle 
reagent 

final 
reagent 

gravimetric 
requirement 

to remove 
solids 

particulate 
standard 

certified 
substance 

primary 
temperature 

overall 
weight