mass spectrometry (redirected from Mass spec)

mass spectrometry,

(in chemistry) a technique for the analysis of a substance in which the molecule is subjected to bombardment by high-energy electrons or atoms to cause ionization and fragmentation to give a series of ions in the gas phase that constitutes the fragmention pattern observed by using a mass spectrometer. A molecule can frequently be identified just on the basis of its mass spectrum. See also spectrometry, spectrophotometry.

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mass spectrometry (MS) (mas' spek·trˑ·n·mē),

n a method of identifying and analyzing substances by fragmenting substances with a bombardment of high-energy electrons. Each molecule has a specific pattern of fragmentation, and these patterns are recorded on a mass spectrum. This technique is often combined with gas-liquid chromato-graphy.