chem mass spectrometer

function of ionisation chamber

the sample ionised by bombarding with high-energy electrons. samples are ionised by knocking 1 or more electrons off to give a positive ion.

function of accelerator

The accelerator applies an electric field to accelerate the positive ions by increasing their kinetic energy, allowing them to move faster through the spectrometer.

function of deflector

Deflection of individual ions into circular paths based on mass/charge in a magnetic field. Higher the charge or lighter the mass = more deflections.

function of detector

the ions that have particular mass to charge ratio are detected by a device that counts the number of ions that strike it.