Question detail
What is the purpose of the ion drift stage in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer?
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
MCQ
Type
practice
Style
Topic
Atomic structure
Question
- A. To accelerate the ions
- B. To separate ions based on mass
- C. To detect the ions
- D. To ionize the sample
Answer
To separate ions based on mass
Explanation
The evidence shows that during the ion drift stage, ions travel through a field-free region where they are separated based on their mass-to-charge ratio. This separation occurs because lighter ions travel faster than heavier ions. The implication is that this stage is crucial for obtaining a mass spectrum, leading to the conclusion that it allows for the identification of different isotopes within a sample.
Common mistake
Misunderstanding Mass Spectra Peaks
Students often misinterpret the peaks in a mass spectrum, thinking that each peak represents a different element rather than different isotopes of the same element.
To correct this, students should focus on understanding that each peak corresponds to isotopes of the same element, with the height of the peak indicating the relative abundance of each isotope.
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