What is the definition of "gravimetric analysis"?

Gravimetric analysis is a chemical analysis technique by which chemists determine the amount of the ion being analyzed, or analyte, through the measurement of mass. This kind of analysis depends on the comparison of two separate compounds that both contain the analyte.

Gravimetric analysis demonstrates that upon determining the mass of an ion in a pure compound, chemists can determine the mass percent of the same ion in an impure compound, as long as they know its exact quantity. In order for a gravimetric analysis to be accurate, the ion being analyzed must be completely precipitated and the precipitate must be a pure compound that is easy to filter.