mass spectrometer

American

noun

Physics.

a device for identifying the kinds of particles present in a given substance: the particles are ionized and beamed through an electromagnetic field and the manner in which they are deflected is indicative of their mass and, thus, their identity.

mass spectrometer British

noun

an analytical instrument in which ions, produced from a sample, are separated by electric or magnetic fields according to their ratios of charge to mass. A record is produced ( mass spectrum ) of the types of ion present and their relative amounts

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of mass spectrometer

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

mass spectrometer

Then an instrument called a mass spectrometer will analyse any gases that are released.

From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2025

Just 1 day of data from Rosetta’s mass spectrometer, an instrument that can identify molecules by their specific weights, was enough for Hänni and her colleagues to find DMS.

From Science Magazine ● Apr. 26, 2024

They are also working to perfect 3D-printed vacuum pumps, which remain a major hurdle to printing an entire compact mass spectrometer.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 4, 2024

For instance, a mass spectrometer can measure hormone levels in the blood of someone with hypothyroidism.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 4, 2024

In some cases a mass spectrometer is used to analyze the products.

From LRL Accelerators The 184-Inch Synchrocyclotron by Lawrence Radiation Laboratory

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023