Mass spectrometry determines a compound's molar mass and structural formula by vaporizing and ionizing the sample (commonly via electron impact), then deflecting the resulting positively charged fragments through a magnetic field in proportion to their mass-to-charge ratio, producing a spectrum of relative abundance versus mass-to-charge ratio. Key theoretical constructs include the molecular ion (the intact ionized parent molecule), the base peak (the tallest, most abundant peak), and isotope-derived satellite peaks (M+1 from carbon-13, M+2 from chlorine or bromine isotopes) that reveal elemental composition, while fragmentation patterns are governed by the relative stability of the resulting carbocations and radicals. This belongs to organic chemistry's structural elucidation methods, relating fragmentation behavior to carbocation stability theory (tertiary more stable than secondary or primary) and to isotope chemistry.
Mass spectrometry determines a compound's molar mass and structural formula by vaporizing and ionizing the sample (commonly via electron impact), then deflecting the resulting positively charged frag…