Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectroscopy: Organic Radicals01:17

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectroscopy: Organic Radicals

3.3K
Ideally, an unpaired electron shows a single peak in the EPR spectrum due to the transition between the two spin energy states. However, coupling interactions can occur between the spins of the unpaired electron and any neighboring spin-active nuclei. This hyperfine coupling results in hyperfine splitting, where the EPR signal is split into multiplets. The signals split into 2nI + 1 peaks, where n is the number of equivalent nuclei and I is the nuclear spin. These splitting patterns provide...
3.3K
Atomic Nuclei: Magnetic Resonance01:05

Atomic Nuclei: Magnetic Resonance

1.1K
The number of nuclear spins aligned in the lower energy state is slightly greater than those in the higher energy state. In the presence of an external magnetic field, as the spins precess at the Larmor frequency, the excess population results in a net magnetization oriented along the z axis. When a pulse or a short burst of radio waves at the Larmor frequency is applied along the x axis, the coupling of frequencies causes resonance and flips the nuclear spins of the excess population from the...
1.1K
Radical Reactivity: Overview01:11

Radical Reactivity: Overview

2.6K
Radicals, the highly reactive species, gain stability by undergoing three different reactions. The first reaction involves a radical-radical coupling, in which a radical combines with another radical, forming a spin‐paired molecule. The second reaction is between a radical and a spin‐paired molecule, generating a new radical and a new spin‐paired molecule. The third reaction is radical decomposition in a unimolecular reaction, forming a new radical and a spin‐paired...
2.6K
The Pauli Exclusion Principle03:06

The Pauli Exclusion Principle

59.0K
The arrangement of electrons in the orbitals of an atom is called its electron configuration. We describe an electron configuration with a symbol that contains three pieces of information:
59.0K
Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Relaxation Processes01:23

Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Relaxation Processes

1.2K
In the absence of an external magnetic field, nuclear spin states are degenerate and randomly oriented. When a magnetic field is applied, the spins begin to precess and orient themselves along (lower energy) or against (higher energy) the direction of the field. At equilibrium, a slight excess population of spins exists in the lower energy state. Because the direction of the magnetic field is fixed as the z-axis,  the precessing magnetic moments are randomly oriented around the z-axis.
1.2K
Paramagnetism01:30

Paramagnetism

3.0K
Paramagnets are materials with unpaired electrons that possess a finite magnetic moment. In the absence of a magnetic field, these moments are randomly oriented, and thus the net moment is zero. Under an external field, a torque acting on the moments tends to align them along the field's direction. However, the random thermal motion of electrons produces a torque opposite to the external field and tries to disorient the moments. These two competing effects align only a few moments along the...
3.0K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Solvent effects on triplet yields in BODIPY-based photosensitizers.

The Journal of chemical physics·2026
Same author

Reaction-yield detected magnetic resonance spectroscopy of radical pairs in cryptochrome-4a: a computational study.

Free radical biology & medicine·2026
Same author

A hybrid compass mechanism combining radical pairs and magnetite crystals.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Two-dimensional electronic spectra from trajectory-based dynamics: Pure-state Ehrenfest, spin-mapping, and mean classical path approaches.

The Journal of chemical physics·2025
Same author

pyTTN: An open-source toolbox for open and closed system quantum dynamics simulations using tree tensor networks.

The Journal of chemical physics·2025
Same author

On the discretization error of the discrete generalized quantum master equation.

The Journal of chemical physics·2025
Same journal

Ambient stability and surface adhesion of 2D polyaramid nanofilms.

Faraday discussions·2026
Same journal

Spiers Memorial Lecture: Spin-mediated promotion of magnetic metal catalysts.

Faraday discussions·2026
Same journal

Helium spin-echo as a surface-sensitive probe of vibrational energy dissipation.

Faraday discussions·2026
Same journal

Near-infrared vibrational second harmonic generation: a new nonlinear interfacial vibrational spectroscopy.

Faraday discussions·2026
Same journal

CO on a Rh/Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> single-atom catalyst: high-resolution infrared spectroscopy and near-ambient-pressure scanning tunnelling microscopy.

Faraday discussions·2026
Same journal

Evolution of size-selected Pt cluster catalysts on prototypical oxide supports.

Faraday discussions·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 19, 2026

Assessing the Influence of Personality on Sensitivity to Magnetic Fields in Zebrafish
07:47

Assessing the Influence of Personality on Sensitivity to Magnetic Fields in Zebrafish

Published on: March 18, 2019

7.1K

How quantum is radical pair magnetoreception?

Thomas P Fay1, Lachlan P Lindoy, David E Manolopoulos

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Physical & Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK. peter.hore@chem.ox.ac.uk.

Faraday Discussions
|September 21, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Quantum mechanics is essential for understanding radical pair spin dynamics in bird magnetoreception. Semiclassical models fail to accurately describe the magnetic compass sense, highlighting the need for full quantum calculations.

More Related Videos

Rapid Scan Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Opens New Avenues for Imaging Physiologically Important Parameters In Vivo
08:01

Rapid Scan Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Opens New Avenues for Imaging Physiologically Important Parameters In Vivo

Published on: September 26, 2016

9.8K
Measuring the Influence of Magnetic Vestibular Stimulation on Nystagmus, Self-Motion Perception, and Cognitive Performance in a 7T MRT
08:57

Measuring the Influence of Magnetic Vestibular Stimulation on Nystagmus, Self-Motion Perception, and Cognitive Performance in a 7T MRT

Published on: March 3, 2023

2.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 19, 2026

Assessing the Influence of Personality on Sensitivity to Magnetic Fields in Zebrafish
07:47

Assessing the Influence of Personality on Sensitivity to Magnetic Fields in Zebrafish

Published on: March 18, 2019

7.1K
Rapid Scan Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Opens New Avenues for Imaging Physiologically Important Parameters In Vivo
08:01

Rapid Scan Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Opens New Avenues for Imaging Physiologically Important Parameters In Vivo

Published on: September 26, 2016

9.8K
Measuring the Influence of Magnetic Vestibular Stimulation on Nystagmus, Self-Motion Perception, and Cognitive Performance in a 7T MRT
08:57

Measuring the Influence of Magnetic Vestibular Stimulation on Nystagmus, Self-Motion Perception, and Cognitive Performance in a 7T MRT

Published on: March 3, 2023

2.4K

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Quantum Biology
  • Avian Navigation

Background:

  • Migratory songbirds use a magnetic compass for navigation.
  • The leading theory involves radical pair spin dynamics in the retina.
  • These radical pairs' spin states interconvert due to various couplings and geomagnetic fields.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if quantum mechanics is necessary to explain radical pair spin dynamics.
  • To determine the limitations of semiclassical approximations in modeling magnetoreception.

Main Methods:

  • Simulating spin dynamics of radical pairs.
  • Comparing quantum mechanical calculations with semiclassical approximations.
  • Analyzing anisotropic product yields under magnetic fields.

Main Results:

  • Semiclassical models accurately describe spin dynamics only without electron spin-spin coupling.
  • This lack of spin-spin coupling is inconsistent with magnetic sensing.
  • Full quantum mechanical calculations are required for accurate simulation of magnetic field effects.

Conclusions:

  • Quantum mechanics is indispensable for a complete understanding of the avian magnetic compass.
  • Semiclassical methods are insufficient for modeling the intricacies of magnetoreception.
  • Future research should employ quantum mechanical frameworks to explore this phenomenon.