"In the absence of an external magnetic field, the spins of magnetic nuclei are oriented randomly. When a sample containing these nuclei is placed between the poles of a strong magnet, however, the nuclei adopt specific orientations, much as a compass needle orients in the earth’s magnetic field. A spinning 1H or 13C nucleus can orient so that its own tiny magnetic field is aligned either with (parallel to) or against (antiparallel to) the external field. The two orientations don’t have the same energy, however, and aren’t equally likely. The parallel orientation is slightly lower in energy by an amount that depends on the strength of the external field, making this spin state very slightly favored over the antiparallel orientation. ... If the oriented nuclei are irradiated with electromagnetic radiation of the proper frequency, energy absorption occurs and the lower-energy state “spinflips” to the higher-energy state. When this spin-flip occurs, the magnetic nuclei are said to be in resonance with the applied radiation—hence the name nuclear magnetic resonance."