Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

NMR for short

MRI - magnetic resonance imaging.

This experiment is about the fundamental physics behind those experiments.

In this experiment youll understand the theory and be able to make the corresponding measurements.

If you put something in a strong magnetic field, all the protons align with the field, and they will stay that way. However if you can kick the proton's spin away from the magnetic field, they will then precess around the magnetic field direction. However, this precession doesnt last forever, energy loss and they end up pointing back at the initial magnetic field. Happens after a "Relaxation time" which is what we are going to learn how to measure.

Why do we care about this relaxation time? Its different in different media. Tracer for what is present in your sample. If you put this together you can then make images.

Tools:

• Sample of material
• Strong magnetic field
• Learn how to use this device: kicks the protons, use induction to measure the protons response (in time)
• Radio frequency signals
• Oscilloscope

Two relaxation time:

• T1 - spin/lattice relaxation time
• T2 - spin/spin relaxation time

Goal: Learn the underlying physics of nuclear magnetic resonance foundation of MRI