|  |     | 
| (11 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | 
| Line 1: | Line 1: | 
|  | == [[Orange Book]] Entry ==
 |  | #REDIRECT [[Mass/charge ratio]] | 
|  |   |  | 
|  | ''m/z'' ratio.
 |  | 
|  |   |  | 
|  | == [[Gold Book]] Entry ==
 |  | 
|  |   |  | 
|  | The abbreviation ''m/z'' is used to denote the dimensionless quantity formed by dividing the mass number of an ion by its charge number. It has long been called the [[mass-to-charge ratio]]although m is not the ionic mass nor is z a multiple or the elementary (electronic) charge, e. The abbreviation m/e is, therefore, not recommended. Thus, for example, for the ion C<sub>7</sub>H<sub>7</sub><sup>2+</sup>, ''m/z'' equals 45.5..
 |  | 
|  |   |  | 
|  | == Proposed New Entry ==
 |  | 
|  |   |  | 
|  | The mass/charge ratio is a physical property that is measured by [[Mass Spectrometer | mass spectrometers]].
 |  | 
|  |   |  | 
|  | The symbol for the physical quantity mass/charge is ''m/q''. The former [[''m/z'']] is based on a missconception and should no longer be used. 
 |  | 
|  |   |  | 
|  | The SI unit of the physical quantity ''m/q'' is kilogram/coulomb ('''kg/C''').
 |  | 
|  | In [[Mass Spectrometry | mass spectrometry]] it is more common to use the [[Atomic Mass Unit]] '''u''' and the [http://www.example.com atomic unit] for charge '''e'''. 
 |  | 
|  | This means the unit for mass/charge is:
 |  | 
|  | : [''m/q''] = '''u'''/'''e''' 
 |  | 
|  |   |  | 
|  | '''u''' is sometimes called [[Dalton]] ('''Da'''). '''u'''/'''e''' is sometimes called [[Thomson]] ('''Th'''). Hence, a [[Mass Spectrum | mass spectrum]] x-axis should be labeled as either of the below:
 |  | 
|  | * ''m/q''  ('''u'''/'''e''')
 |  | 
|  | * ''m/q''  ('''Da'''/'''e''')
 |  | 
|  | * ''m/q''  ('''Th''')
 |  |