Electroanalytical methods are a class of techniques in
analytical chemistry which study an
analyte by measuring the
potential (
volts) and/or
current (
amperes) in an
electrochemical cell containing the analyte. These methods can be broken down into several categories depending on which aspects of the cell are controlled and which are measured. The three main categories are
potentiometry (the difference in electrode potentials is measured),
coulometry (the cell's current is measured over time), and
voltammetry (the cell's current is measured while actively altering the cell's potential).