17.

1 Mass spectrometry
OCR Chemistry A Application

Mass spectrometry

Specification references
 4.2.4 (f) (g)
 HSW 3
 HSW 5

Introduction
In this task you will explore the use of mass spectrometry as an analytical technique
used by analytical scientists to identify organic compounds.

Learning outcomes
After completing the worksheet you should be able to:
 use a mass spectrum to identify the molecular mass of an organic compound
 analyse fragmentation peaks in a mass spectrum to identify parts of organic
compounds.

Background and data

After a number of workers at a geothermal power plant became ill, an analytical
scientist was brought in to test an unidentified substance. The scientist tested the
substance with a mass spectrometer.

Figure 1 Mass spectrum of an unidentified substance from a geothermal power

plant

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This resource sheet may have been changed from the original 1
 17.1 Mass spectrometry
OCR Chemistry A Application

Figure 2 Mass spectrum of 2-methylbutane

Questions
1 It is known that the unidentified substance contains only hydrogen and carbon.
Use the mass spectrum in Figure 1 to:
a identify the molecular mass of the unidentified substance (1 mark)
b list the possible structures for the unidentified substance (3 marks)
c draw displayed formulae for the structures you have identified. (3 marks)
d Identify the fragment ions with:
i m/z  29
ii m/z  57
iii m/z  43 (6 marks)

2 A gas with m/z  28.0312 contains only elements from the following list:
12
C 12.0000
14
N 14.0031
16
O 15.9949
1
H 1.0078

a Explain why the gas is unlikely to be carbon monoxide. (1 mark)

b Suggest a more likely alternative. (2 marks)

3 Explain why a mass spectrum of CH4 would have a small peak with m/z  17.
(2 marks)

4 Figure 2 shows 2-methylbutane, an isomer of the unidentified substance. Explain

why the peak at m/z  57 is much larger for this substance. (4 marks)

© Oxford University Press 2015 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements

This resource sheet may have been changed from the original 2