SCIENCE

PROJECT
By Kamilya Kaskey
 Mass Spectrometry so far
The technique of mass spectrometry was used at
AS-level to determine the relative abundances of
different isotopes in a sample of an element, to
deduce relative atomic masses and to deduce
molecular formulae.

Mass spectrometry can also be used to determine

the structure of organic molecules. In some
respects molecules behave in a similar way to
atoms in a mass spectrometer, but there are
important differences:

When a molecule is ionised, one electron is

removed. As molecules generally contain paired
electrons only, the result is the formation of a
species with an unpaired electron, or a free radical.
 High Resolution
Mass Spectrometry
High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry is a much more
sensitive form of mass spectrometry that allows the
molecular weight (Mr) of a substance to be determined to
several decimal places. Precise atomic masses are always
given, which can then be used to calculate the molecular
formula of the compound being tested.

Once the molecular formula has been determined, you can

predict possible structures of the compound. Knowledge of
general formulas and functional groups aids in this
prediction.
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
THANK YOU