mass spectrometer

American  

noun

Physics.

1. 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.

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mass spectrometer British  

noun

1. 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

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Etymology

Origin of mass spectrometer

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mass spectrometer

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

From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2025

The samples were analyzed through the mass spectrometer, which allowed researchers to rapidly assess -- within two minutes -- whether an IDH mutation was present.

From Science Daily ● May 30, 2024

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

In addition, their batch processing technique could be implemented at scale, which would significantly lower the cost of each emitter and go a long way toward making a point-of-care mass spectrometer an affordable reality.

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 Laboratory, Lawrence Radiation