mass spectrometry

noun

Updated on: 19 May 2018

Definition of mass spectrometry

: an instrumental method for identifying the chemical constitution of a substance by means of the separation of gaseous ions according to their differing mass and charge — called also mass spectroscopy

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mass spectrometric

adjective

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mass spectrometer

noun

Recent Examples of mass spectrometry from the Web

Niziolek and her colleagues decided to submit more samples from the collection for a more precise method of radiometric dating called accelerated mass spectrometry.

— ashley strickland, CNN, "Treasure trove reveals origins of 800-year-old shipwreck," 16 May 2018
The scientists used a portable, briefcase-size device that pulls air from the surface of the skin and collects VOCs in a filter for later laboratory analysis, using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry.

— richard conniff, Scientific American, "Is Malaria's Peculiar Odor Key to Its Conquest?," 14 May 2018
The world-class scientists in the room laughed at this, and justifiably so, as Culberson nerdily debated the finer points of mass spectrometry or magnetometry with them.

— eric berger, Ars Technica, "The billion-dollar question: How does the Clipper mission get to Europa?," 16 Apr. 2018
The first element was an analysis of the nerve agent provided by mass spectrometry, a technique that sorts ions based on their mass-to-charge ratio.

— ellen barry and david e. sanger, New York Times, "Poisoned Door Handle Hints at High-Level Plot to Kill Spy, U.K. Officials Say," 1 Apr. 2018
Rosetta sent back mass spectrometry data showing that glycine, the simplest amino acid, was present on the comet.

— luba ostashevsky, Ars Technica, "How did life begin? It’s Chemistry 101, but in space," 26 Feb. 2018
Those peptide chains—amino acids linked like Lego blocks—were then analyzed in a mass spectrometry machine and identified using protein databases.

— lorraine boissoneault, Smithsonian, "How Proteins Helped Scientists Read Between the Lines of a 1630 Plague Death Registry," 12 Jan. 2018
Davis walks me by its gas chromatography mass spectrometry system, which separates out those molecules as a slab of real meat is cooking.

— beth kowitt, Fortune, "Silicon Valley and the Search for Meatless Meat," 19 Dec. 2017
NC State postdoc and mass spectrometry expert Elena Schroeter notes that the collagen seen in their dinosaur samples mostly lacks the amino acids Collins tracked.

— robert f. service, Science | AAAS, "‘I don’t care what they say about me’: Paleontologist stares down critics in her hunt for dinosaur proteins," 13 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mass spectrometry.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of mass spectrometry

1926

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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