Title: mass spectrometer
Long Title: IUPAC Gold Book - mass spectrometer
DOI: 10.1351/goldbook.M03733
Status: current

Definition
A mass spectrometer in which the ions to be separated absorb maximum energy through the effect of alternating electric fields which are parallel to the path of the ions. These ions are then separated from other ions with different mass/charge by an additional electric field.

Related Term
- mass spectrometer: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/M03732

Source
- PAC, 1991, 63, 1541. 'Recommendations for nomenclature and symbolism for mass spectroscopy (including an appendix of terms used in vacuum technology). (Recommendations 1991)' on page 1545 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199163101541)

Other Outputs
- html: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/M03733/html
- json: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/M03733/json
- xml: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/M03733/xml

Citation: Citation: 'mass spectrometer' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. 10.1351/goldbook.M03733
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Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.
Accessed: 2026-07-02T12:12:39+00:00