Spin Dynamics: Basics of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance [Paperback]

Malcolm H. Levitt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 29, 2008 | ISBN-10: 0470511176 | ISBN-13: 978-0470511176 | Edition: 2

Spin Dynamics: Basics of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Second Edition is a comprehensive and modern introduction which focuses on those essential principles and concepts needed for a thorough understanding of the subject, rather than the practical aspects. The quantum theory of nuclear magnets is presented within a strong physical framework, supported by figures. 

The book assumes only a basic knowledge of complex numbers and matrices, and provides the reader with numerous worked examples and exercises to encourage understanding. With the explicit aim of carefully developing the subject from the beginning, the text starts with coverage of quarks and nucleons and progresses through to a detailed explanation of several important NMR experiments, including NMR imaging, COSY, NOESY and TROSY. 

Completely revised and updated, the Second Edition features new material on the properties and distributions of isotopes, chemical shift anisotropy and quadrupolar interactions, Pake patterns, spin echoes, slice selection in NMR imaging, and a complete new chapter on the NMR spectroscopy of quadrupolar nuclei. New appendices have been included on Euler angles, and coherence selection by field gradients. As in the first edition, all material is heavily supported by graphics, much of which is new to this edition. 

Written for undergraduates and postgraduate students taking a first course in NMR spectroscopy and for those needing an up-to-date account of the subject, this multi-disciplinary book will appeal to chemical, physical, material, life, medical, earth and environmental scientists. The detailed physical insights will also make the book of interest for experienced spectroscopists and NMR researchers. 

• An accessible and carefully written introduction, designed to help students to fully understand this complex and dynamic subject

• Takes a multi-disciplinary approach, focusing on basic principles and concepts rather than the more practical aspects

• Presents a strong pedagogical approach throughout, with emphasis placed on individual spins to aid understanding

• Includes numerous worked examples, problems, further reading and additional notes

Praise from the reviews of the First Edition:

"This is an excellent book... that many teachers of NMR spectroscopy will cherish... It deserves to be a ‘classic’ among NMR spectroscopy texts." NMR IN BIOMEDICINE

"I strongly recommend this book to everyone…it is probably the best modern comprehensive description of the subject." ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE, INTERNATIONAL EDITION

Editorial Reviews

Review

?What makes this book stand out compared to similar books is the extensive use of pictures and diagrams, which will make this book more appealing to nonphysicists, like chemists and biologists. That this was achieved without loss of rigor is indeed an accomplishment.? ( Doody?s Reviews , November 2009)

From the Back Cover

Spin Dynamics: Basics of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Second Edition is a comprehensive and modern introduction which focuses on those essential principles and concepts needed for a thorough understanding of the subject, rather than the practical aspects. The quantum theory of nuclear magnets is presented within a strong physical framework, supported by figures. 

The book assumes only a basic knowledge of complex numbers and matrices, and provides the reader with numerous worked examples and exercises to encourage understanding. With the explicit aim of carefully developing the subject from the beginning, the text starts with coverage of quarks and nucleons and progresses through to a detailed explanation of several important NMR experiments, including NMR imaging, COSY, NOESY and TROSY. 

Completely revised and updated, the Second Edition features new material on the properties and distributions of isotopes, chemical shift anisotropy and quadrupolar interactions, Pake patterns, spin echoes, slice selection in NMR imaging, and a complete new chapter on the NMR spectroscopy of quadrupolar nuclei. New appendices have been included on Euler angles, and coherence selection by field gradients. As in the first edition, all material is heavily supported by graphics, much of which is new to this edition. 

Written for undergraduates and postgraduate students taking a first course in NMR spectroscopy and for those needing an up-to-date account of the subject, this multi-disciplinary book will appeal to chemical, physical, material, life, medical, earth and environmental scientists. The detailed physical insights will also make the book of interest for experienced spectroscopists and NMR researchers. 

• An accessible and carefully written introduction, designed to help students to fully understand this complex and dynamic subject. 

• Takes a multi-disciplinary approach, focusing on basic principles and concepts rather than the more practical aspects. 

• Presents a strong pedagogical approach throughout, with emphasis placed on individual spins to aid understanding. 

• Includes numerous worked examples, problems, further reading and additional notes.

Product Details

• Paperback: 744 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 2 edition (April 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470511176
• ISBN-13: 978-0470511176
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.4 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #513,263 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear first introduction to NMR, July 27, 2002

By 

M S ANWAR (Oxford, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spin Dynamics: Basics of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (Paperback)

This book could simply be stated as an excellent attempt to introduce the foundations of NMR. It is a very good primer on all theoretical aspects that are essential to an understanding of the subject.
It offers a methodical, step-by-step approach. Useful tools and consistent terminology are the most attracting feature of this volume. It is well-illustrated; and controversial issues are highlighted in the "Notes" sections at the end of each chapter. It has illustrative problems at the end of each chapter, with solutions provided at the end.
Interestingly, the appendix covers many important aspects that are needed at a more advanced stage. Useful tools for the understanding of NMR are developed at appropriate stages. These include: the box notation for coherences, populations, density matrices and transitions; the origin of NMR spectra from individual coherence terms in the density matrix; origin of 2-D NMR signals as well as many important concepts in Fourier Transform NMR are described. The origins of relaxation enjoy a very readable and simplistic approach in the last chapter.
Whenever simplistic approximations are used, the author never claims of completeness or rigour. Distinction is made between terms that are physically correct and terms that are sometimes misleading, but enjoy widespread use in the NMR spectroscopy convention. The essential tools in quantum mechanics are outlined, product operator descriptions are used frequently and repetitively, that enhances understanding and provides more practice. Pictorial representations have been given where possible, a view-point beginners like myself find very useful.
One drawback, is a careful side-lining of the very important technique of using pulse-field gradients, although their cousin technique, named pulse-cycles is quite elaborately explained. I hope, the next issue of the book would also cover up this important technique.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good NMR text, October 4, 2004

By 

Wisethinker "SJC" (Columbus, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spin Dynamics: Basics of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (Paperback)

This is an excellent text book written by a chemist. Author handles some of hardware stuff as well as physical chemistry of NMR based on quantum mechanics. This text provides us with clear pictures of NMR phenomena. Some detailed explanations about basic NMR pulse sequences are excellent for everybody who studies this field.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for any aspiring NMR jockeys, January 18, 2004

By 

Alan A. Chen "robotkid" (Albany, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spin Dynamics: Basics of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (Hardcover)

For those studying biomolecules with NMR, the unofficial bible is of course the maroon colored Cavanagh book. Though this is an excellent book, it isn't the best suited book for beginners. This is where Levitt's book comes in: this is by far the kindest introduction to NMR that I have seen, with heavy emphasis on understanding the concepts first and the formalism later. The book is full of useful diagrams, detailed analogies, and exercises for the reader where other books only show equations. So borrows someone's Cavanagh first, and if you get stuck after 20 pages then order yourself a copy of Levitt and you won't be disappointed. If you already have studied NMR and are looking at how to apply it to proteins, then Cavanagh should suit you fine.