BRAINCAKEMass Spectrum Example 1
Example 1: ethanol, CH3CH2OH (Mr = 46)
To interpret a mass spectrum, first find the molecular ion peak, then work out what each fragment peak has lost from the molecular ion.
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Key terms in this lesson
- base peak
- The tallest peak in a mass spectrum, corresponding to the most abundant, most stable fragment ion.
- molecular ion
- The positive ion formed when a whole molecule loses an electron in a mass spectrometer, giving a peak at the molecule's relative molecular mass.
More in Mass Spectrometry
- Mass Spectrometry
- The Molecular Ion Peak
- Other Peaks
- Fragmentation
- Mass Spectrum Example 2
- Mass Spectrum Example 3
- Mass Spectrum Example 4
- Mass Spectrum Example 5
All 9 lessons in Mass Spectrometry · All Edexcel AS-level Chemistry topics