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Aim: To investigate the uses of the mass spectra of elements and compounds
Learning outcomes :
Underlying Principles
Differentiation
Questions in the student notes are designed to enable all students to complete the activity.
The pop-up answers are provided for the students to view when they have considered their responses.
Worksheet questions include questions that require recall, understanding and application of the new
concepts learned.
Worksheet Answers
1.1 Chlorine consists of two stable isotopes, 35Cl and 37Cl, in approximately 3:1 ratio. The relative atomic
mass of 35.5 is the weighted average of the masses of these two isotopes in accordance to their
relative abundance.
1.2 a. 107Ag+
b. Increasing/raising the strength of the magnetic field.
85
1.3 a. Peak heights Rb = 58.0 mm and 87Rb = 22.0 mm ; Total = 80.0 mm
85
Rb = 58.0/80.0 x 100 = 72.5%
87
Rb = 27.5%
1.5 Relative atomic mass = (204 x 2.70) + (206 x 48.0) + (207 x 41.5) + (208 x 100)
(2.70 + 48.0 + 41.5 + 100)
= 207
2.1 a. The peaks at 158, 160 and 162 are due to the ions 79Br79Br+, 79Br81Br+ and 81Br81Br+ respectively.
b. As the isotopes 79Br and 81Br are present in almost equal abundance, the probability of a ‘mixed ‘ ion
79
Br81Br+ occurring is twice that of either of the two ions containing only one isotope.
79
Br79Br+ ½x½=¼ 158 1
79
Br81Br+ ½x½=¼
} 160 2
81
Br79Br+ ½x½=¼
81
Br81Br+ ½x½=¼ 162 1
2.2 The mass of CH2 is 12 + 2 = 14. The molecular mass must be some multiple of this value. Since 84/14
= 6, the molecular formula must be (CH2)6, that is C6H12.
2.3 Because chlorine consists of two naturally occurring isotopes, 35Cl and 37Cl, in an approximately 3:1
ratio (see question 1.1), a quarter of the methyl chloride molecules will contain the heavier isotope. The
molecular ion, CH337Cl+, will appear at mass 52. Peak due to CH335Cl+ will be three times higher at
relative mass 50. Fluorine atom however, has only one isotope. So the molecular ion CH337F+ appears
only at relative mass 34.
2.4 a. 4 peaks
b, c.
12
Ion C16O+ 13
C16O+ 12
C18O+ 13
C18O+
Relative Mass 28 29 30 31