Which of the following is one of the six steps of chemical analysis?

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In chemical analysis, preparing the sample and confirming its identity is a fundamental step. This involves getting the sample into a form suitable for measurement and making sure you’re analyzing the correct specimen for the right analyte. Proper sample preparation (dissolving, homogenizing, extracting, diluting, filtering, digestion, etc.) reduces matrix effects and potential interferences, which directly impacts the accuracy and precision of the final result. Identifying the sample ensures you aren’t mixing up specimens or measuring the wrong target, which would lead to incorrect conclusions regardless of how good the instrumentation is. While calibration, data handling, and quality checks are important parts of the overall workflow, they are separate activities and do not replace the necessity of preparing and correctly identifying the sample.