Mass spectrometer

Learning objectives

To illustrate the workings of a mass spectrometer.
To observe the effect of electric and magnetic forces on a charged particle.

Symbolic representation of Bainbridge's mass spectrometer (1933). Used to evaluate the masses of ions of the same charge.
Ejected from a collimator not shown here, the ions are first selected by their speed (v=E/B) then separated by mass. The device can also be used to separate different isotopes of the same element.