Mass Spectrometry

1. Mass spectrometry is a method used to determine the relative atomic mass of an element.
2. Mass spectrometry also can be used to:
Determine the relative isotopic mass
Determine the relative abundance of isotopes
Determine the relative molecular mass of molecular substances
Determine the structural formulae of compound
3. Diagram of a mass spectrometer:

4. Working principle of a mass spectrometer:

a) Vaporisation:
Introduce a sample of element (if it is a solid or liquid) into the vaporisation chamber. Note
that gaseous sample can be introduced directly to the mass spectrometer.
b) Ionisation:
Flow the gas or vapour into the ionisation chamber. A heated filament/ cathode emits high
speed and energy electrons to collide with gaseous particles. The collisions between high
energy electrons and gaseous particles result in the formation of positive ions.
c) Acceleration:
The ions move into an electric field where they are accelerated by negative charged plates
and emerge from the accelerator.
d) Deflection:
The ions move into a magnetic field where they are deflected according to their mass to
charge ratios.
Note that ions with smaller m/e ratio are deflected more than those with higher m/e ratio.
e) Detection:
The ions are detected by the ion detector, and the data are fed into the computer where a
mass spectrum is plotted.
f) Extra info:
A pump is used to remove air particles and unionised particles which otherwise it would
hinder the movement of the positive ions. Also, the air molecules might get ionised and
produced unwanted peaks in the mass spectrum.