• Question: what is an NMR experimant?

    Asked by dilen to Liz on 16 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Lizzard O'Day

      Lizzard O'Day answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Great question! NMR stands for nuclear magnetic resonance.. and NMR spectroscopy is a technique that exploits the magnetic properties of certain atomic nuclei.

      To break it down- as you know everything in the world is composed of atoms- and an atom contains a nucleus surrounded by a cloud of electrons. The nucleus of many atoms has a magnetic moment- meaning it can act like a tiny bar magnet. If you’ve ever played w/ magnets you know you can use one magnet to pick up another magnet or push them around and all kinds of things. That’s exactly how NMR works- we use a huge giant magnet to push around the tiny bar magnets of nuclei and then by watching how they respond we can use that info to figure out all kinds of things about the atoms to which they belong… it’s really fun. Every time I set up an experiment I think of the lady gaga song “just dance” because essentially I ask the nuclei to “dance”. 😉

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