Enter the mass (in Daltons) and charge (in elementary charge units) into the calculator to determine the mass-to-charge ratio (m/z value) of an ion. The m/z value is a dimensionless quantity that is widely used in mass spectrometry.

M/Z Value Formula

The following formula is used to calculate the m/z value.

m/z = M / Z

Variables:

  • M is the mass of the ion (Daltons, Da)
  • Z is the charge of the ion (elementary charge units, e)

To calculate the m/z value, divide the mass of the ion by its charge.

What is an M/Z Value?

The m/z value is a dimensionless quantity that represents the mass-to-charge ratio of an ion. It is a fundamental parameter in mass spectrometry, which is a technique used to measure the masses of particles, the elemental composition of a sample, and the chemical structures of molecules. The m/z value helps in identifying and quantifying molecules in a sample.

How to Calculate M/Z Value?

The following steps outline how to calculate the m/z value.


  1. First, determine the mass of the ion (M) in Daltons (Da).
  2. Next, determine the charge of the ion (Z) in elementary charge units (e).
  3. Next, gather the formula from above = m/z = M / Z.
  4. Finally, calculate the m/z value.
  5. After inserting the variables and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.

Example Problem : 

Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.

Mass of the ion (M) = 196 Da

Charge of the ion (Z) = 2 e