mass spectrometer

Mass Spectrometer A mass spectrometer produces charged particles (ions) from the chemical substances that are to be analyzed. The mass spectrometer then uses electric and magnetic fields to measure the mass (weight) of the charged particles. There are many different kinds of mass spectrometers, but all use magnetic and/or electric fields to exert forces on the charged particles produced from the chemicals to be analyzed. A basic mass spectrometer consists of three parts: 1. A …

…the mass of an ion very precisely. If we knew that the mass of our hypothetical ion at mass 18 was actually mass 18.010, we could easily distinguish it from an ammonium ion, which would have an exact mass of 18.035 (we wouldn't have to look for mass 14 and 15...). Here is a picture of how the mass spectrometer works. It is a diagram of how the masses are separated in a certain particle. (picture is from the internet)