Mass Spectrometer The Molecule Dissector

What do you do if you have a sample from another planet, and you want to find out if it contains a certain molecule...maybe even one

that will reveal whether the planet can sustain life? When scientists face a situation like this, they use an amazing tool: the mass

spectrometer. It separates out materials, allowing scientists to look very closely at a sample and see what's inside.

Credit: Courtesy NASA

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