Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a physical phenomenon in which atomic nuclei with a property called spin, when placed in a strong magnetic field, absorb and re-emit electromagnetic radiation at a specific resonance frequency. This frequency is exquisitely sensitive to the local chemical environment, as the electrons surrounding a nucleus slightly alter the magnetic field it experiences. By detecting these subtle frequency shifts, NMR spectroscopy becomes an indispensable tool for determining the detailed three-dimensional structure and dynamics of molecules in chemistry and biology, and the same principle forms the basis of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), a powerful non-invasive diagnostic tool in medicine.