Notes from the Physics Teaching Lab: NMR Experiments at 21 Gauss

Abstract

We describe a series of laboratory experiments that can be performed with the Quantum Control apparatus sold by TeachSpin, which uses pulsed NMR techniques to observe the precession of protons in a liquid water sample. With a uniform background magnetic field of 21 Gauss, the protons precess at about 90 kHz, yielding numerous relatively simple observations and measurements that are well suited to undergraduate physics teaching labs. Our goal in this paper is to document some of these experiments in detail, thereby making it easier for instructors to choose material that is best suited for their curricula.