Mass Spectrometer

Question 1

What happens to the ions when they hit the detector?

Answer 1

Loose their charge and are removed through a vacuum

Question 2

how are the ions accelerated?

Answer 2

Using negatively charged plates

Question 4

what is the process after ionisation?

Answer 4

Acceleration

Question 6

what does the electromagnet do?

Answer 6

Makes a magnetic field to direct the ions travel, the strength is increased slowly so that each particle deflects in turn. Heavier ions are deflected less and 2+ ions are deflected twice as much.

Question 7

why does the sample have to be vaporised?

Answer 7

So it can move around freely

Question 8

How are the atoms ionised?

Answer 8

High energy electrons fired from electron gun which knock off an electron from the atom

Question 9

What deflects moving ions round a curved path?

Answer 9

Electromagnetic field

Question 10

What accelerated the ions before they’re deflected?

Answer 10

A series of charged plates?

Question 11

why so the ions separate into various paths?

Answer 11

Isotopes are present

Question 12

Give two reasons why the sample must be ionised?

Answer 12

1. To accelerate the ions

2. To be detected

Question 13

explain briefly how the relative abundance of an ion is measured in a mass spec

Answer 13

• ions hit detector and cause a current

* bigger the current the more of that isotope

Question 14

why do isotopes have the same chemical properties?

Answer 14

because they have the same number of electrons in their outer shell

Question 15

explain why the ionisation energy of every element is endothermic

Answer 15

energy needed to overcome attraction between positive nucleus and negative electron