Mass (mass spectrometry)

Have you ever played with a toy sorting machine that separates different colored beads into different compartments? Mass spectrometry works kind of like that!

When scientists want to identify and study molecules (tiny particles that make up everything), they use mass spectrometry. This machine helps them to sort and measure the masses of different molecules.

First, they put the molecule into the machine (just like you put a bead into the toy sorter). Then, the machine uses electricity to give the molecule a tiny electric charge.

Next, the molecule is sent through a special magnet (like the magnet in the toy sorter) and it gets pulled in a certain direction based on its mass. Heavier molecules get pulled more than lighter molecules, so they end up in a different place than the lighter molecules.

Finally, the machine measures the amount of each type of molecule and tells the scientists what they are. Just like you can count how many of each color bead you got, the machine tells the scientists how many of each type of molecule they found.

Overall, mass spectrometry is a way to sort and measure the masses of different tiny particles so scientists can study them further.