CH ENGR 104C Lecture Notes - Lecture 26: Magnetic Anisotropy, Chemical Shift, Atomic Nucleus
Document Summary
Nmr or nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a technique used to determine a compound"s unique structure. It identifies the carbon-hydrogen framework of an organic compound. Using this method and other instrumental methods including infrared and mass spectrometry, scientists are able to determine the entire structure of a molecule. In this discussion, we will focus on h nmr or proton magnetic resonance. Even though there are many other spectrometers including c-nmr and n-nmr, hydrogen (h-nmr) was the first and is the most common atom used in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The atomic nucleus is a spinning charged particle, and it generates a magnetic field. Without an external applied magnetic field, the nuclear spins are random and spin in random directions. But, when an external magnetic field is present, the nuclei align themselves either with or against the field of the external magnet. _-spin state: protons that align with the external magnetic field.