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TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > Physics > How a Mass Spectrometer Works

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1. A Heated Filament lamp gives off electrons
2. The sample to be analysed is injected into ionisation chamber where the electrons collide with molecules, removing electrons and forming positive ions
3. The ions are accelerated through a electric field
4. The magnetic field causes the ions to be deflected and depending upon the mass: charge (M/E) ration, the deflection will be differing degrees
5. These ions have the correct path to pass though the slit and arrive at the detector
6. The amplifier turns the charge into an electric current
7. A pen recorder makes a trace

By keeping and magnetic field constant and varying the accelerating voltage, one ion after another is deflected into the collector and complete trace is obtained

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