Massenweite

Massenweite is a German term used to describe the range or spread of masses in a given context. It denotes the interval between the smallest and largest masses considered or measured, or the span that a device is capable of detecting. The concept is applicable in fields where mass is a defining property of objects, samples, or signals, such as physics, chemistry, materials science and analytical instrumentation.

In practice, the Massenweite can be interpreted in two related ways. For a set of masses, it is often calculated as the difference between the maximum and minimum masses: Massenweite = max(m) − min(m). In analytical instrumentation, especially mass spectrometry, the term can refer to the detectable mass range or mass-to-charge ratio range (m/z) that the instrument can measure. Depending on the context, Massenweite may describe either the theoretical scope of masses of interest or the actual operational range of a device.

Usage and terminology vary. While Massenweite is understood in some contexts, German technical literature more commonly uses Massenbereich or Massenverteilung to describe similar ideas. The term may appear in discussions of sample composition, instrument specifications, or data analysis when conveying how broad or narrow a mass distribution is or how wide a measurement window should be.

See also: Massenbereich, Massenverteilung, Massenverteilungsweite.