Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (A-level only) key terms

Chemical Shift

The difference in resonance frequency of a nucleus compared to a standard reference, measured in parts per million (ppm).

Integration

The area under a peak in an NMR spectrum, which corresponds to the number of nuclei contributing to that peak.

Chemical Shift

The resonance frequency of a nucleus relative to a standard in a magnetic field, measured in parts per million (ppm).

Integration

The area under a peak in an NMR spectrum, representing the relative number of protons contributing to that signal.

Chemical Shift

The position of a peak in an NMR spectrum, measured in parts per million (ppm), which indicates the electronic environment of the protons.

Spin-Spin Coupling

The interaction between neighboring non-equivalent protons that leads to the splitting of NMR signals.

Spin-Spin Coupling

The interaction between non-equivalent nuclei that leads to the splitting of NMR signals, providing information about neighboring hydrogen atoms.

Chemical Environment

The surrounding electronic environment of a nucleus that affects its resonance frequency in NMR spectroscopy.