Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
In chemistry, detector refers to a device that identifies and measures the presence of specific chemical compounds in a sample.
Related terms
Spectrometer: This is a type of detector that measures properties of light over a specific portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, similar to how our security guard might use special glasses to detect fake tickets.
Mass Spectrometer: This instrument separates ions by their mass-to-charge ratio. It's like having an advanced scanner that can tell exactly what's in someone's bag based on weight and size.
Gas Chromatograph: This tool vaporizes samples and then uses detectors to analyze the resulting components. Imagine if our security guard had a machine that could instantly identify every item in your bag just by turning them into vapor!