Naturally occurring uranium consists of two isotopes,

uranium-235 and uranium-238. Both isotopes are radioactive.

They emit alpha radiation. Video 1
 Mass Spectrometer
Aim:
1. To study the use of the mass spectrometer
in the determination of atomic masses and
the abundances of isotopes, and how the
relative atomic mass of elements is related to
the abundance of their isotopes.
2. Name cations, anions and salts according to
the IUPAC nomenclature.
 Use of Mass Spectrometer
Determine:
- Relative atomic mass of an element
- Relative molecular mass of a compound
- Types of isotopes that are found in the
naturally occurring element including the
abundance of the isotopes and its relative
isotopic mass.
- Recognize the structure of the compound in
an unknown sample.

Video 2
 A Mass Spectrometer
Ionisation
Chamber

Accelaration
Magnetic
Vaporisation + Chamber
Chamber
Chamber
- -

Ion Beam

Heated
Vacuum Ion Detector
Filament
Pump

AMPLIFIER

Recorder
Main Components of Mass Spectrometer
(a) Vaporisation Chamber
• Sample of the element is
vaporised into gaseous atom

(b) Ionisation Chamber

• A gaseous sample (atom or
molecule) is bombarded by a
stream of high-energy electrons that
are emitted from a hot filament.
• Collisions between the electrons
and the gaseous atom (or molecule)
produce positive ions by
dislodging an electron from each
atom or molecule.
(c) Acceleration Chamber (Electric
field)
• The positive ions are accelerated
by an electric field towards the two
oppositely charged plates.

(d) Magnetic field

• The positive ions are separated
and deflected into a circular path
by a magnet according to its
mass/charge (m/e) ratio.
• Positive ions with small m/e ratio
are deflected most and appear A
near A. Ions with large m/e ratio B
are deflected least and appear
near B (Figure).
(e) Ion detector
The numbers of ions and
types of isotopes are
recorded as a mass
spectrum.

Mass spectrum:
MASS SPECTROMETER COMPONENTS AND ITS FU

COMPONENT FUNCTION
Vaporisation Sample of the element is
Chamber vaporised into gaseous atom
Ionisation Chamber Produce positive ions

Electric field Accelerate the positive ions

Magnetic field Deflect the positive ions

according to its mass/charge
ratio.
Ion detector Ions are detected and recorded
as spectrum.
The Mass Spectrometer and Its Data

Video 3
where Q = the abundance of an isotope of the element
= the percentage of the isotope found in the naturally occurring element
m = the relative isotopic mass of the element

Example:
 Mass Spectrum of Magnesium
• The mass spectrum of Mg
shows that Mg consists of
Relative abundance

three isotopes: 24Mg, 25Mg

and 26Mg.
63

• The height of each line is

9.1
8.1 propartional to the
24 25 26 m/e (amu) abundance of each
isotope.

• Mg is the most abundant

24

of the three isotopes

How to calculate the relative atomic mass
from mass spectrum?

ΣQ iMi
Ar =
ΣQ i
Q = the relative abundance / percentage
abundance of an isotope of the element

M= the relative isotopic mass of the element

 Example 1
1. Fig 1.1 shows the mass spectrum of
the element rubidium, Rb;
a. What isotopes are present in Rb?
Relative abundance

Rb and 87Rb
85

b. What is the percentage

18 abundance of each isotope?
% abundance 85Rb
7 = 18 x 100
25
= 72 %
85 87 m/e
(amu)
% abundance 87Rb
= 7 x 100
25
= 28 %
 Example 1
c. Calculate the relative atomic mass of Rb.
ΣQiMi
Average mass of Rb =
ΣQi
(18x85) + (7 x87)
=
25
= 85.56 amu
85.56 amu
A r of Rb =
1 x12.00 amu
12
= 85.56
 Example 2
The relativeatomicmassof 6Li and 7Li are6.01 and 7.02.
3 3
Whatis thepercentageabundanceof each isotopeif the
relativeatomic mass of Li is6.94?
Assume that,
% abundance of 6Li = X%
% abundance of 7Li = (100 - x) %

Ar Li = ∑QiMi
∑Qi
6.94 = X (6.01) + (100 – X) 7.02
X + 100 – X
6.94 = 6.01 X + 702 – 7.02 X
100
694 - 702 = -1.01 X
+8 = +1.01 X
X = 7.92 %

So, % abundance of 6Li = 7.92 %

And % abundance of 7Li = 92.08 %
 Exercise 1
Theratioof relativeabundanceof naturallyoccuringof chlorine
isotopesis as follow:
35Cl
= 3.127
37Cl

Basedon thecarbon- 12 scale, therelativeatomicmassof 35Cl = 34.968

and 37Cl = 36.9659.

Calculate the Ar of chlorine.
(Ans: 35.45)
 Exercise 2
Naturallyoccuringiridium,Ir is composedof 2 isotopes191
Ir and
193Ir in the ratioof 5 : 8 . The relativemassof 191
Ir and 193Ir are
191.021
and 193.025respective
ly. Calculate therelativeatomic mass
of iridium.
(Ans:192.254)
Calculating the abundance of isotopes from Ar

• Relative atomic mass of boron B is equal to

10.81. Calculate the % abundance to 105B and
5B ?
11

Solution:
Quiz :
 Natural distribution of the elements
• The naturally
occurring elements
are unevenly
distributed in nature.

Table 2: Bodies distribution of the elements

Table 1: Natural distribution in universe

Table 3: Earth distribution of the elements

 IUPAC Nomenclature of Ions
a) Cations

i) For the metals of group 1, 2 and 13 :

Name the metals followed by the word ‘ ions ‘
e.g : Na+ : sodium ion,
Al3+ : aluminium ion
ii) For the metal with more oxidation
states, Roman numerals are used to
indicate the oxidation state.
e.g : Cu2+: copper(II) ion,
Fe3+ : iron(III) ion
b) Anions
• Monoatomic ions have names that ended with
‘ide’
e.g : F- : fluoride ion, O2- : oxide ion
• Other polyatomic anions have their own
names
e.g : CO3 : carbonate ion,
SO42- : sulphate ion,
Cr2O72- : dichromate ion
• When a metal combines with a nonmetal
element, the metal is named before the
nonmetal

Example : Fe2(SO4)3 - Iron(III) sulphate

FeCl3 - Iron(III) chloride

CuCl2 - copper(II) chloride

 Conclusion
At the end of the lesson the students should be
able to:
1. describe the use of mass spectrometer in
determining atomic masses and the
abundances of isotopes
2. correlate mass spectra with the natural
abundance of isotopes
3. perform calculations with atomic masses
and the relative abundances of isotopes
4. Name cations, anions and salts according to
the IUPAC nomenclature.