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
A mass spectrum is a plot of ion abundance versus mass-to-charge ratio generated from a mass spectrometer.
Related terms
Spectrometer: A device used for measuring spectra, especially as produced by dispersion of light and other radiation into components according to frequency or wavelength.
Fragmentation Pattern: In mass spectrometry, fragmentation patterns can provide clues about the structure and identity of a molecule in your sample.
Base Peak: In a mass spectrum, the base peak is the peak representing the most abundant ion.