Refer to Figure 2.10 showing a schematic illustration of a mass spectrometer. (a) What is the purpose of bombarding the gaseous atoms with an electron beam?

Video transcript

Hello everyone today. We are being given the following problem and a mass spectrometer, Why are gaseous samples bombarded with a beam of high energy electrons? So as the question stated in a mass spectrometer, gaseous samples are bombarded with high beams or high energy beams of electrons. And so why is this? This? Essentially we can say the high energy electrons are knocked off the gaseous sample by this beam. So this electron beam will essentially knock off electrons from the gasses sample leaving behind, as you may guess, positively charged particles. So the answer choice A is going to be the one that most represents that process. Gaseous samples are bombarded with high beams of electrons because this knocks off electrons from the sample and turns it into a positively charged ion. And with that we've answered the question. Ultimately, I hope this helped, and until next time.