Mass Spectrometer

What does mass spectrometry determine?

Relative atomic masses are measured on a scale on which Carbon 12 is defined as exactly 12.

Generalise what happens in mass spectrometry.

What is the instrument kept under so ions do not collide with air molecules?

The sample is investigated in a gaseous state, if the sample is solid what happens to it?

Ionisation is the first past of mass spectrometry. What happens at this step?

Why are electrons knocked off atoms or molecules?

Positive ions are attracted to negatively charged plates. What step is this?

There is a slit in the plates, what does this do to the ions?

Deflection is the next step, what do ions move into?

The magnetic field deflects the beam of ions into a what?

What does the deflection depend on? HINT m/z

Are heavier ions deflected more of less than lighter ones?

What happens in detection?

Ions strike the detector, lose their charged and create a what?

The computer works out the value of the mass to charge ratio by the strength of what?

Four key stages are.

High resolution mass spectrometry is to what decimal place?

Most work is done to the nearest whole number, this is called...

If you had two mass numbers of 20 and 22. With abundances of 90% and 10% how do you work it out?