1. Concepts of measurand, characteristic, analysis result

1.1 Importance of a precise measurand definition

It may seem trivial to say that defining what you want to measure is the first operation to be carried out by the analyst. The term "measurand", derived from the world of metrology, is not yet in common use among chemists, who more often speak of "analyte". However, the concept is an important one, and deserves a closer look. Standard NF X07-001 "Vocabulaire international des termes fondamentaux et généraux en métrologie" (VIM) defines a measurand as "a particular quantity subject to measurement".