Ask A Scientist© Chemistry Archive

 > >    name         daman
 > >    status       student
 > >    age          17

 > >    Question -   What is mass spectroscopy?


Dear Daman,
Mass spectroscopy is a way to analyze the chemistry of a sample.
The sample is ionized, usually by stripping off one or more
electrons with an electron beam, and then sent as a beam into
a strong magnetic field. Depending on the charge to mass
ratio of the atoms or molecules in the beam, the atom will
be deflected a little or a lot. This allows one to, for example,
separate a beam, of neon atoms into its various isotopes,
which have different masses.

Best regards,
Prof. Topper
Dept of Chemistry
The Cooper Union
New York, NY

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