In the light of the versatility of thermal methods of analysis, and the increasing sophistication of the instrumentation available, this book discusses the basic principles of these methods, the manner in which they are affected by experimental conditions and the results which can be expected. Having read this book the reader should appreciate how and when to apply these techniques, and should understand the basic principles sufficiently to approach new instrumentation with confidence. Obviously, there is no substitute for practical work, but the inclusion of the work sheets in Section 6 gives the reader the opportunity to work through a real life case study, interpreting the analysis as required. This series provides a uniquely comprehensive and integrated coverage of analytical chemistry, covering basic concepts, classical methods, instrumental techniques and applications. The learning objectives of each text are clearly identified and the student's understanding of the material is constantly challenged by self-assessment questions with reinforcing or remedial responses. The overall objective of Analytical Chemistry by Open Learning is to enable the student to select and apply appropriate methods and techniques to solve analytical problems, and to interpret the results obtained.