Quick Mass Spectrometry Question

[jackinthepatch]

Which fragments move along a larger radius? Does this have to do with molecular masses?

[TrueTears]

Heavier fragments will get less deflected.

Consider a bowling ball and a ping pong ball.

If you roll a bowling ball in a straight line and somewhere in its path you have wind blowing left perpendicular to its path, then obviously it will move a shorter radius (curve less)

If you do the same to a ping pong ball, it will have a much larger deflection, since its lighter, so it will have a larger radius.

Also the charges will have an impact too. The more positive the fragment is the larger deflection, because the mass spectrometer uses electrons to deflect the positive fragments, the more positive they are, the more deflection ( 'larger' repulsion b/w +ve and -ve)

[monokekie]

thats soo true....

[jackinthepatch]

Haha I like that analogy TrueTears, thanks buddy.