Simple and Inexpensive Classroom Demonstrations of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Several demonstrations of resonance phenomena associated with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are described. The demonstrations comprise common orienteering compasses, whose needles represent magnetic dipoles, along with three collinear permanent magnets and a magnetic stir plate or pulseable electromagnets. The trio of permanent magnets provides a laterally uniform magnetic field, whose strength decreases with distance from the magnets. Resonance can be observed by adjusting the frequency of the magnetic stirrer to match the resonant frequency of the compass needle, which is shown to depend on magnetic field strength, that is, the needle's position relative to the permanent magnets. Another demonstration involves pulsing electromagnets that apply a perpendicular magnetic field that causes the compass needles to oscillate. The effects of shielding, spin-spin coupling, magnetogyric ratio, and free induction decay can also be demonstrated. By moving the trio of permanen...