Mass Spectrometry Flashcards
What is the environment in the mass spectrometer?
A vacuum so the atoms won’t hit into molecules and effect the results.
What are the uses of a mass spectrometer?
Identifies the isotopes of an element.
Calculates molar masses and characterises new compounds.
How does ionisation happen in a mass spectrometer?
Atoms are vapourised.
These are bombarded by electrons and are ionised.
Sufficient energy used to make ions of 1+ charge.
How are atoms accelerated in a mass spectrometer?
The charged ions are accelerated by an electric field.
How are atoms deflected in a mass spectrometer?
The charged particles are deflected by magnetic or electric field.
What is the m/z?
The mass/charge ratio.
What does the radius of the atom’s path when deflected depend on?
The m/z.
What means an atom will deflect more?
Being light.
Having a larger charge.
What is kept the same so atoms won’t deflect more or less?
The speed of the atoms.
What does the detector show?
The amount of ions that pass through the machine at each magnetic field setting.
Why is the strength of the magnetic field in the deflector steadily increased?
At one setting, only ions of one particular m/z will pass through AND be detected-the others will be deflected too much/little to pass through.
What can be formed from the results of a mass spectrometry test?
A mass spectrum (graph).
What industry is using mass spectroscopy more?
The pharmaceutical industry.
Why is the mass spectrometer so useful?
It’s sensitive and accurate so only small samples are needed.
It can differentiate between different compounds.
What technique is mass spectrometry often used with?
High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
