Analytical chemistry
Titration curves, pH and normality of acid–base systems, Beer–Lambert absorbance, chromatography retention, and calibration regression.
7 guides 3 calculators 1 cheat sheet
Reading path
Start here. Each guide is a self-contained tutorial with worked examples and cited sources.
- When Beer-Lambert lies Concentration limits, scattering, stray light, chemical speciation — the five ways the A = εbc line stops being a line.
- Calibration curves without lying to yourself Build a regression that survives an audit: LOD, LOQ, confidence interval, residual plot, and when to switch to standard addition.
- Reading titration curves: what the shape tells you Buffer plateaus, equivalence points, and half-equivalence-point pH — the shape of the curve names the analyte and gives the pKa for free.
- Reading an HPLC chromatogram: retention and resolution Retention, plate count, resolution, peak shape — the four numbers that grade any HPLC separation.
- Reading a mass spectrum: fragments and isotopes The molecular ion names the mass; the fragment pattern names the connectivity; the isotope satellites name the elements.
- IR spectroscopy: reading the functional-group region The 4000-1500 window names the functional groups; the fingerprint below 1500 confirms the identity. A four-question workflow reads any spectrum.
- Analytical statistics: mean, SD, and the t-test Every measurement is a random variable. Mean, standard deviation, standard error, confidence interval, t-test, and outlier rejection — in one workflow.
Calculators
- pH Calculator
Strong/weak acid & base pH from concentration and pKa/pKb, full-quadratic solve.
- Normality Calculator
N from molarity, mass, or titration — with common equivalent-factor presets.
- Beer-Lambert Calculator
Solve A = ε·b·c for absorbance, molar absorptivity, path length, or concentration.
Cheat sheets
- Common Ka and Kb Values — Cheat Sheet
Common Ka and Kb values with pKa/pKb for weak acids and bases: acetic, formic, HF, HCN, carbonic, phosphoric, ammonia, pyridine, glycine and more.