spike
Quick Summary
A "spike" in the context of isotope analysis refers to a known quantity of an isotopically enriched sample added to a substance. This technique, known as isotope dilution, is used with mass spectrometry to precisely measure trace amounts of elements. By mixing the spike with the original material and analyzing the resulting mass spectrum, scientists can determine the quantity and mass of the element in the unknown sample. This method is particularly useful when conventional quantitative analysis is difficult, and it plays a role in fields like analytical chemistry and geophysics for analyzing elements in rocks and meteorites.12
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mass spectrometryTrace element analysis…isotopically enriched sample, called a spike, is added to the original material, thoroughly mixed with it, and extracted with that element. The mass spectrum of this mixture will be a combination of the natural spectrum of the element plus the unnatural one of the spike. By knowing the amount of…
Read More…isotopically enriched sample, called a spike, is added to the original material, thoroughly mixed with it, and extracted with that element. The mass spectrum of this mixture will be a combination of the natural spectrum of the element plus the unnatural one of the spike. By knowing the amount of…
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datingUse of mass spectrometers…isotope is called a “spike.” It is usually a highly purified form of a low-abundance natural isotope, but an even better spike is an isotope with a mass not found in nature at all. Lead-205 produced in a type of particle accelerator called a cyclotron constitutes such an ideal…
Read More…isotope is called a “spike.” It is usually a highly purified form of a low-abundance natural isotope, but an even better spike is an isotope with a mass not found in nature at all. Lead-205 produced in a type of particle accelerator called a cyclotron constitutes such an ideal…
Read More