Mass Spectrometer

[Big_BK]

Not sure if that is how you spell it but these are the machines labs use to test substances correct? Say you had mystery powder they run it through the machine then what exactly comes out? a panel of certain criteria found in the poweder which needs to be matched up against a database?

 

[Tatyana]

Yes a mass spectrophotometer is one of the analytical tools used to identify unknown substances.

Why do you ask hun?

 

[Big_BK]

Just curious. I saw one when i was getting a tour at a college and am interested in science at school since it is the only subject i can do with ease and get good grades.

 

[Tatyana]

Just curious. I saw one when i was getting a tour at a college and am interested in science at school since it is the only subject i can do with ease and get good grades.

If they have a mass spec at the uni, then it is probably a good uni.

I work with bog standard spectrophotometers every day.

It is an interesting combo of chemistry, biochem and physics (the majority of principles of spectrophotometry are physics - quanta, wavelengths, energy 's' and 'p' levels....)

 

[Big_BK]

Does it take a skilled person to read the results or is it a matter of like i said comparing the outcome to known substances.

 

[Tatyana]

Does it take a skilled person to read the results or is it a matter of like i said comparing the outcome to known substances.

I would think skilled.

Computers are great and help immensely, but they still can't do what people do.

Even when analytical equipment is working and cranking out numbers, there are still things that you have to watch for that can indicate that you are not getting the correct results.