Resolution and Resolving Power in Mass Spectrometry.

The term resolution is one of the most important in mass spectrometry because it describes the ability to separate peaks in mass spectra. The term resolving power is often used to describe the ability of a mass spectrometer to resolve adjacent peaks in a mass spectrum and is often used interchangeably with resolution. The separation of peaks for singly charged ions can be expressed as a mass difference and the ratio is often given as a quantitative measure of the ability of a mass spectrometer to separate ions.