Mass-spectrometer (another copy) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Mass-spectrometer (another copy) - Essay Example ion concentrations of shared elements for all the drugs as well as, once detected these chemical elements will be matched with a catalogue of chemical compounds; an illustration of this process is described in the report as well as an assessment on the limitations, design specifications, besides recommendations for enhanced dependability. Basically, a mass spectrometer performs three important roles (Figure 1). Initially, it bombards the molecules to be analyzed with a stream of high-energy electrons, transforming a number of the molecules to ions, which are then fast-tracked in an electric field by a sequence of polarized fast-tracking plates, a huge potential difference (p.d), oscillating from 1 to 10 kV (kilovolts), applied across these fast-tracking plates yields a beam of briskly roaming positive ions. Moreover, one or more focusing slits subject the ions into a uniform beam. What is more, majority of the sample molecules do not undergo ionization, nonetheless, are incessantly drawn off by vacuum pumps which are linked to the ionization chamber; whereas some of the molecules are changed to negative ions by the absorption of electrons. Consequently, the repeller plates engross these negatively charged ions. Besides, a number of the positively charged ions which are produced can possess a charge greater than one ( a loss of in excess of a single electron). These are fast-tracked in a similar way as the singly charged positive ions. Secondly, the fast-tracked ions are isolated consistent with their mass-to-charge ratios in an electric or magnetic field by a deflection that transpires through an applied magnetic field. Finally, the ions that have a specific mass-to-charge ratio are identified by a detector device which can tally the number of ions reaching it that have negotiated the static-curved radius of arc because of the applied magnetic field (Figure 2). Additionally, particles with mass-to-charge ratios which are both too large as well as too small hit