Mass spectrometry

In chemistry, mass spectrometry is a useful tool to determine compounds and elements. Fragmentation patterns in the data provides information about functional groups. If determining elements, we can determine isotope distribution. It also finds the relative atomic mass.

Mass spectrometers work on a five stage process:

1. Vaporisation — the sample is heated and vaporised, producing gaseous atoms or molecules.
2. Ionisation — atoms are bombarded by high-energy electrons, making them positively charged.

$$X_{(g)}+e^{-}\to X_{(g)}^{+}+2e^{-}$$

4. Acceleration — positive ions are attracted to negatively charged plates and accelerated in the resulting electric field.
5. Deflection — positive ions are deflected, the degree to which they are depends on the mass-to-charge ratio.
6. Detection — generates the signal producing the mass spectrum graph.