Sensitivity
The change in an instrument's response for a given change in analyte concentration.
Formula / equation
S = dSignal / dConcentration
Unit
Various
In depth
Sensitivity is the gradient of the calibration curve: a steeper line means smaller concentration differences can be distinguished. It should not be confused with the detection limit, which depends on noise as well as on sensitivity.
Examples in the real world
A longer path length cuvette increasing absorbance sensitivity in proportion to its length.