Question

In a mass spectrometer, ions are separated based on their

• A. Mass-to-charge ratio
• B. Velocity only
• C. Charge only
• D. Kinetic energy

Hint:

Mass spectrometry separates ions according to their \[ \boxed{ m/z=\frac{\text{Mass}}{\text{Charge}} } \] value.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Recall the working principle of a mass spectrometer. A mass spectrometer separates ions according to their \[ \boxed{\frac{m}{z}} \] value, where - \(m\) = mass of the ion, - \(z\) = charge on the ion.

Step 2: Identify the correct option. Since ions with different mass-to-charge ratios follow different paths, \[ \boxed{\text{Mass-to-charge ratio}} \] is the correct answer. Therefore, \[ \boxed{(A)} \] is the correct answer.