A
mass spectrum is an intensity vs.
m/z (
mass-to-charge ratio) plot representing a chemical analysis. Hence, the mass spectrum of a sample is a pattern representing the distribution of ions by
mass (more correctly:
mass-to-charge ratio) in a sample. It is a
histogram usually acquired using an instrument called a
mass spectrometer. Not all mass spectra of a given substance are the same. For example some mass spectrometers break the analyte molecules into
fragments; others observe the intact molecular masses with little fragmentation. A mass spectrum can represent many different types of information based on the type of mass spectrometer and the specific experiment applied; however, all plots of intensity vs. mass-to-charge are referred to as mass spectra. Common fragmentation processes for organic molecules are the
McLafferty rearrangement and
alpha cleavage. Straight chain alkanes and alkyl groups produce a typical series of peaks: 29 (CH
3CH
2+), 43 (CH
3CH
2CH
2+), 57 (CH
3CH
2CH
2CH
2+), 71 (CH
3CH
2CH
2CH
2CH
2+) etc.