Question

What are the three basic components of mass spectrometry (MS)? What is a radical cation, and why is it important for MS?

Answer 1

Answer - The three basic components of mass spectrometry (MS) are ion source, analyzer and detector system.

When the bond is gets cleaves there is formed even electron cation and an odd electron neutral radical and we know the species with one electron is called radical and with positive charge called radical cation. So radical cation has both positive charge as well as free radical.

The mass spectroscopy only detected cation, so the radical cation is important in the mass spectroscopy.