Physics articles within Nature Chemistry

Featured

  • Q&A |

    Jadambaa Khuyagbaatar from the Helmholtz Institute Mainz and the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research talks to Nature Chemistry about superheavy element studies and why creating and exploring these fleeting nuclei matters.

    • Anne Pichon

  • News & Views |

    Mass spectrometry is a powerful technique for analysing proteins, yet linking higher-order protein structure to amino acid sequence and post-translational modifications is far from simple. Now, a native top-down method has been developed that can provide information on higher-order protein structure and different proteoforms at the same time.

    • Kathrin Breuker

  • Thesis |

    A trio of recent discoveries in physics should be celebrated by everyone, even chemists, argues Bruce Gibb.

    • Bruce C. Gibb

  • Thesis |

    It is easy to overlook just how important temperature is when it comes to chemistry and Michelle Francl wonders if thermometers had a role in turning alchemists into chemists.

    • Michelle Francl

  • In Your Element |

    Iulia Georgescu explains why rubidium is atomic physicists' favourite chemical element.

    • Iulia Georgescu

  • News & Views |

    Molecules can transfer charge between electron donors and acceptors, and can also transport charge when connected between metallic electrodes. These processes are assumed to show generally similar trends, however, a significant departure from this has now been observed in a series of biphenyl bridges.

    • Gemma C. Solomon

  • In Your Element |

    Calcium is found throughout the solar system, the Earth's crust and oceans, and is an essential constituent of cells, shells and bones — yet it is curiously scarce in the upper atmosphere. John Plane ponders on this 25-year-old mystery.

    • John M. C. Plane

  • Article |

    Larmor precession of a quantum mechanical angular momentum vector about an applied magnetic field forms the basis for NMR spectroscopy, MRI and a range of other important analytical techniques. This precessional motion has now been imaged for the first time, using velocity-map imaging in a model system of strongly polarized oxygen atoms.

    • Shiou-Min Wu
    • , Dragana Č. Radenovic
    •  & Richard N. Zare

  • News & Views |

    The use of conventional computers to calculate molecular properties is hindered by the exponential increase in computational cost on increasing the size of the molecules studied. Using quantum computers could be the solution and the initial steps are now being taken.

    • Kenneth R. Brown

  • In Your Element |

    In the search for superheavy elements, element 112 was a stepping stone towards the 'islands of stability'. Sigurd Hofmann now relates the steps that led to its 'creation' and detection.

    • Sigurd Hofmann

  • News & Views |

    Quantum tunnelling can at times be the cause of kinetic isotope effects, and in these cases conventional wisdom has been that molecules with isotopes of larger mass will react more slowly. New calculations, however, predict that sometimes the reverse should be true.

    • Barry K. Carpenter

  • Article |

    Precise calculations of molecular properties from first-principles set great problems for large systems because their conventional computational cost increases exponentially with size. Quantum computing offers an alternative, and here the H2 potential energy curve is calculated using the latest photonic quantum computer technology.

    • B. P. Lanyon
    • , J. D. Whitfield
    •  & A. G. White

  • In Your Element |

    Mitch André Garcia considers the disputed discovery of element 104 and takes a look at how the chemistry of this synthetic element is developing.

    • Mitch André Garcia

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