NMR and MRI: Applications in Chemistry and Medicine Mark as Favorite (0 Favorites)

LESSON PLAN in History, Electromagnetic Spectrum, Radiation, ACS National Historic Chemical Landmarks Program. Last updated November 22, 2024.

Summary

In this lesson, students will learn about NMR and MRI imaging by reading an article and engaging in related activities. The activities help promote literacy in the science classroom. Parts of this lesson could be used as plans for a substitute teacher.

Grade Level

High School

NGSS Alignment

This lesson will help prepare your students to meet the performance expectations in the following standards:

  • HS-PS4-4: Evaluate the validity and reliability of claims in published materials of the effects that different frequencies of electromagnetic radiation have when absorbed by matter.
  • HS-PS4-5: Communicate technical information about how some technological devices use the principles of wave behavior and wave interactions with matter to transmit and capture information and energy.
  • Scientific and Engineering Practices:
    • Developing and Using Models
    • Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
    • Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

  • List the four fundamental forces and properties of each.
  • Identify how absorption of photons from different spectral regions (microwave, IR, vis, UV) cause different types of molecular/electronic events.
  • Use a storyboard to explain the basic science behind NMR imaging.
  • Provide examples of how MRI is used in medicine and research.
  • List some examples of different types of medical imaging.

Chemistry Topics

This lesson supports students’ understanding of:

  • Energy
  • Electromagnetic Spectrum
  • Radiation
  • Spectroscopy

Time

Teacher Preparation: 10 - 15 minutes to make copies of activities/reading
Lesson: Approximate times for students to complete each activity in the lesson:

  • Anticipation Guide: 10 minutes
  • Reading: 20 minutes
  • Primer: The Four Fundamental Forces: 30 minutes
  • Investigating Types of Spectroscopy with Simulations: 45 minutes
  • NMR Imaging Storyboard: 45 minutes
  • The What and the Why of an MRI: 25 minutes
  • Medical Imaging: 25 minutes

Materials

  • Internet access

Teacher Notes

Background:

Lesson Overview:

The lesson includes the multiple components, as outlined individually below. The Reading is essential for all of the activities. Teachers can choose to do one or all of the included activities. Student handouts and corresponding answer keys are provided for each item described below:

  • Activity: Anticipation Guide
    • Have students identify whether they agree or disagree with the ten statements. After they complete the reading, they can adjust their answers and rephrase the “disagree” statements so they read true.
  • Reading: NMR and MRI: Applications in Chemistry and Medicine
  • Activity: The Four Fundamental Forces
    • Students will access information about the four fundamental forces and complete a graphic organizer (Frayer model) for each force. The Frayer model student handouts are provided as a separate document for teachers to print.
    • Completing this activity will provide students with context for the topic of spectroscopy and imaging, which employ the electromagnetic spectrum.
    • This activity would work well for student groups of 4, each student researching one of the fundamental forces, then sharing with group members.
    • Two challenging application questions are also provided as differentiation for advanced students.
  • Activity: Investigating Types of Spectroscopy with Simulations
    • Students will access several simulations about the electromagnetic spectrum and various types of spectroscopy (microwave, infrared, visible and ultraviolet).
  • Some of the simulations come from the PhET simulation Light and Molecules.
  • Activity: NMR Imaging Storyboard
    • This activity is specifically designed to encourage students to slow down and pay attention to the images presented to them, noting what has changed from one image to the next.
    • It includes a student handout with guided inquiry questions to use with an NMR imaging slide deck.
    • This activity will work best if the slide deck is printed for a small group activity (a total of 16 slides, which can be printed with 2 or 4 slides per page), since the students will be completing a storyboard illustrating how NMR works based on the information in the slides.
    • Alternatively, the deck can be projected and used as a whole class activity.
    • When students have completed their storyboards, they will watch a short video on NMR, comparing their storyboards to the information in the video.
  • Activity: The What and the Why of an MRI
    • Students will watch several short videos and interact with an article to learn more about how an MRI image is achieved and the different uses of MRI images in medical treatment and research.
  • Activity: Medical Imaging
    • Students will organize information in a graphic organizer about the different types of medical imaging scans.
    • They will also view one or more short videos about a career path in the medical imaging field and record a short response about their thoughts on the career path.