What resolving power is required to distinguish$\mathit{C}{\mathit{H}}_{\mathbf{3}}\mathit{C}{\mathit{H}}_{\mathbf{2}}^{\mathbf{+}}$from$\mathit{H}\mathit{C}\mathbf{=}{\mathit{O}}^{\mathbf{+}}$?

Resolving power:

- The resolving power of a mass spectrometer is used to distinguish two peaks of comparable mass.

- The formula for resolving power is as follows: Where the value of mis less than the value of m/z.

The following formula can be used to calculate the resolving power required to differentiate the given chemicals.

To begin, figure out the mass and mass difference as follows:

$$\begin{gathered} C_2{H_5}^{+}2\times 12.0000 \\ +5\times 1.007825 \\ \frac{-e^{-}mass-1\times 0.00055}{29.03858} \\ HC{O}^{+}1\times 12.0000 \\ 1\times 1.007825 \\ +1\times 1599491 \\ \frac{-e^{-}mass-1\times 0.00055}{29.03858} \end{gathered}$$

The mass difference is 29.03858 - 29.00218 = 0.036040 .

Finally, obtain the final result by substituting the numbers in the resolving power formula and doing some easy mathematical calculations.

Resolving power$=\frac{m}{∆m}$ or$\frac{m}{m_{12}}$

Resolving power$\frac{29.0}{0.03640}=800$ .

Therefore the resolving power is 800