Chemistry / Unit 2 Chem 0244 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Mass Spectrometry as the Method Behind Isotopic Data
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The idea
Mass spectrometry measures isotopic abundance by ionizing a sample, deflecting the ions by mass and charge, and counting arrivals.
In practice
A mass spectrum's peaks show which isotopes are present; each peak's height shows what fraction of the sample is that isotope.
Where people slip
Abundance percentages used in mass calculations are not assumed — they come from measurements like these, not from a table alone.
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