The branch of chemistry concerned with identifying the elements and compounds present in a sample of matter. Inorganic qualitative analysis traditionally used classical “wet” methods to detect elements or groups of chemically similar elements, but instrumental methods have largely superseded the test-tube methods. Methods for the detection of organic compounds or classes of compounds have become increasingly available and important in organic, forensic, and clinical chemistry. Once it is known which elements and compounds are present, the role of quantitative analysis is to determine the composition of the sample.