Time-of-flight mass spectrometry
Time-of-flight mass spectrometry
Formula
m/z = 2eV / v² (or t ∝ √m)
Real World
Anti-doping labs at the Paris 2024 Olympics used time-of-flight mass spectrometry to detect banned substances in athletes' samples by matching the precise m/z ratios of ions to known drug profiles.
Exam Focus
Always describe the four stages in order: ionisation, acceleration, drift, detection — omitting any stage costs marks.
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