Chemometrics

views updated

CHEMOMETRICS

Chemometrics, an advanced field of chemistry, utilizes the application of mathematics and statistics to clinical information. One example of chemometrics is pyrolysis mass spectrometry, in which an unidentified material is fixed to a metal strip and heated to a specific temperature. At this temperature, the electrostatic bonds holding the atoms together break. Using the light components given off by the atoms, the mass spectrometer creates a chemical profile, or chemical fingerprint. With these statistics, the chemist is able to identify the material.

More From encyclopedia.com