What do you mean by mass spectrum?
A mass spectrum is simply the m/z ratios of the ions present in a sample plotted against their intensities. Each peak in a mass spectrum shows a component of unique m/z in the sample, and heights of the peaks connote the relative abundance of the various components in the sample. Example of a mass spectrum.
What are the characteristics of a mass spectrum?
A mass spectrum will usually be presented as a vertical bar graph, in which each bar represents an ion having a specific mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) and the length of the bar indicates the relative abundance of the ion. The most intense ion is assigned an abundance of 100, and it is referred to as the base peak.
How is a mass spectrum produced?
Each primary product ion derived from the molecular ion, in turn, undergoes fragmentation, and so on. The ions are separated in the mass spectrometer according to their mass-to-charge ratio, and are detected in proportion to their abundance. A mass spectrum of the molecule is thus produced.
Who invented mass spectrometers?
The first mass spectrometer – originally called a parabola spectrograph – was constructed in 1912 by J.J. Thomson, best known for his discovery of the electron in 1897. He used the mass spectrometer to uncover the first evidence for the existence of nonradioactive isotopes.
How does the spectrum for mercury look different from sodium?
In the case of mercury, most of the emission lines are below 450 nm, which produces a blue light (part (c) in Figure 6.3. 5). In the case of sodium, the most intense emission lines are at 589 nm, which produces an intense yellow light.
What is the mass and weight of mercury?
Mercury – Atomic Mass – Atomic Weight – Hg Element Mercury Atomic Number 80 Symbol Hg Element Category Transition Metal Phase at STP Liquid
What is the atomic number of the element mercury?
Mercury is a chemical element with symbol Hg and atomic number 80. Classified as a transition metal, Mercury is a liquid at room temperature.
Where does Mercury get absorbed into the body?
Mercury is a virulent poison and is readily absorbed through the respiratory tract, the gastrointestinal tract, or through unbroken skin. It acts as a cumulative poison and dangerous levels are readily attained in air. Air saturated with mercury vapor at 20°C contains a concentration that exceeds the toxicity limits.
How does a mass spectrometer tell the mass of a compound?
Modern mass spectrometers easily distinguish (resolve) ions differing by only a single atomic mass unit (amu), and thus provide completely accurate values for the molecular mass of a compound.