Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of proteins
Have you ever played with a toy magnet? How it attracts and repels other things? Well, scientists use a similar principle to study how proteins are made in our bodies.
You see, every atom in our body has a tiny magnetic field around it. When we place a protein sample in a magnetic field, the atoms inside the protein align with the magnetic field just like the toy magnet. Next, a radio wave is sent through the protein. The radio wave has enough energy to flip the alignment of the atoms in the protein's magnetic field.
The flipped atoms then release energy in the form of radio waves. Think of it like a tiny radio inside the protein that is turned on for split seconds. These radio waves are then detected by a special machine and converted into a spectrum, telling scientists about the protein's structure.
This helps scientists to understand the way the atoms are arranged in the protein and how they interact with each other. This is very helpful because proteins are the building blocks of our body, and understanding their structure can help us develop medicines to treat diseases like cancer or Alzheimer's.
So, in summary, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a fancy way of using magnets and radio waves to understand how the atoms in a protein are arranged and how they work together.
You see, every atom in our body has a tiny magnetic field around it. When we place a protein sample in a magnetic field, the atoms inside the protein align with the magnetic field just like the toy magnet. Next, a radio wave is sent through the protein. The radio wave has enough energy to flip the alignment of the atoms in the protein's magnetic field.
The flipped atoms then release energy in the form of radio waves. Think of it like a tiny radio inside the protein that is turned on for split seconds. These radio waves are then detected by a special machine and converted into a spectrum, telling scientists about the protein's structure.
This helps scientists to understand the way the atoms are arranged in the protein and how they interact with each other. This is very helpful because proteins are the building blocks of our body, and understanding their structure can help us develop medicines to treat diseases like cancer or Alzheimer's.
So, in summary, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a fancy way of using magnets and radio waves to understand how the atoms in a protein are arranged and how they work together.