How did Mass Spectrometry originate?
The technique of mass spectrometry had its beginnings in J.J. Thomson’s vacuum tube where in the early part of the last century the existence of electrons and “positive rays” was demonstrated. Thomson, a physicist, observed in his book “Rays of Positive Electricity and Their Applications to Chemical Analysis,” that the new technique could be used profitably by chemists to analyze chemicals. Mass spectrometry was used to discover the existence of isotopes and to definitively identify them. It was also used to determine the relative abundances of isotopes, and to measure their “exact masses”, i.e., atomic masses to with a precision of 1 part in 106 or better. These important fundamental measurements laid the foundation for later developments in diverse fields ranging from geochronology to biochemical research. Mass spectrometry is now widely used to analyze both organic and inorganic substances. Back to top What is a Mass Spectrometer? A mass spectrometer is an instrument that measures t
