Lars G. Hanson1,2
1Danish Research Centre for
Magnetic Resonance, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark; 2Biomedical
Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
The presentation shows that MR is a classical phenomenon that can be understood intuitively by everybody. The special case of nuclear magnetic resonance has additional complexity, but is accurately described by classical mechanics and is also understood relatively easily. Nevertheless, the typical explanation of basic MR relies on confusing concepts from quantum mechanics (QM). It takes outset in the claim that nuclei align either parallel or anti-parallel to the main magnetic field. This non-intuitive claim is inspired, but not supported by QM. An established alternative explanation consistent with QM is presented using graphical tools. It can improve understanding considerably.
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