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mass spectroscope
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Figure 4: Arrangement of the electrostatic and magnetic sectors in the Mattauch-Herzog double-focusing mass spectrometer. The ions are deflected in opposite directions in the electrostatic and magnetic fields. The divergent monoenergetic beam contains two ion species of different mass-to-charge ratio. All ions are brought to a focus along the plane AB. Figure 5: Arrangement of the electrostatic and magnetic sectors in the Nier double-focusing mass spectrometer. The angle of the electrostatic sector is 90° and that of the magnetic sector 60°. The direction of deflection of the ion beam is the same in both sectors. Figure 6: Schematic diagram of a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The pairs of opposing electrodes are electrically connected to a balanced voltage source having a radio frequency component superimposed on a constant potential. Combinations of values for the amplitude and frequency exist that allow ions of a given mass from a beam of constant energy to emerge undeflected.
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mass spectroscope

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Figure 4: Arrangement of the electrostatic and magnetic sectors in the Mattauch-Herzog double-focusing mass spectrometer. The ions are deflected in opposite directions in the electrostatic and magnetic fields. The divergent monoenergetic beam contains two ion species of different mass-to-charge ratio. All ions are brought to a focus along the plane AB.
Figure 4: Arrangement of the electrostatic and magnetic sectors in the Mattauch-Herzog double-focusing mass spectrometer. The ions are deflected in opposite directions in the electrostatic and magnetic fields. The divergent monoenergetic beam contains two ion species of different mass-to-charge ratio. All ions are brought to a focus along the plane AB.

A mass spectroscope is an analytical instrument used to identify chemical substances by sorting gaseous ions based on their mass-to-charge ratios using electric and magnetic fields. The process involves five basic parts: a vacuum system, a sample handling system, an ion source, an analyzer to separate ion beams, and a detector.1

Mass spectrometry is crucial in organic chemistry for determining the structure of complex molecules. It can accurately measure ion masses, allowing for the deduction of molecular formulas and potential structural arrangements. By studying fragment ions, chemists can identify characteristic chemical groups within a molecule. This technique requires only small sample quantities and can be aided by computers for data analysis.2

The foundation of mass spectroscopy dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the work of physicists like Wilhelm Wien and J.J. Thomson, who discovered that charged particles could be deflected by magnetic and electric fields. A significant early observation was the identification of isotopes, different forms of the same element with varying masses.3

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. mass spectrometry
  2. mass spectrometry - Organic chemistry
  3. mass spectrometry - Ion-velocity spectrometers

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