MCAT Topic Focus Physics

Physics Conceptual Passage 2 (Questions 1-7) 1. All of the following are advantages of using an
electromagnet instead of a permanent magnet in an MRI
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive scan EXCEPT:
technique used to investigate tissue in the body. First, a strong
A. it is much easier to remove metal objects that
magnetic field (usually between 0.1 T and 3 T) is applied to
become stuck to the electromagnet.
the part of the body to be imaged. Second, photons at radio
B. since the electromagnets are often superconducting,
frequencies are sent into the body, and the protons in hydrogen
the resistance is considerably less than that of the
atoms (for example, within water molecules) absorb these
permanent magnet, so less voltage needs to be
photons and re-emit them at varying rates. The scanner detects
supplied to generate the magnetic field.
the emitted photons, and these detections can be used to locate
C. electromagnets often have greater fields, because
the emitting tissue in the body and allow the re-emission rate to
the field strength from an electromagnet is limited
be determined, which in turn yields information about the health
primarily by current, and it is often possible to
of the emitting tissue.
supply very large currents.
The magnetic moments of the nuclei of hydrogen atoms come D. permanent magnets strong enough for MRI scans are
from the intrinsic spin of the protons and neutrons in the nucleus, usually enormous and hard to move around, whereas
and they give the nuclei an effective north side and south side, electromagnets are often smaller.
like a permanent magnet. These nuclei tend to line up with any
external magnetic field. The energy E of a magnetic moment of
2. Approximately how much work is done by the magnetic
magnitude μ in a magnetic field of strength B is given by.
force from a 3 T magnetic field when a proton in the body
moves along an arc of length 2 mm in 5 seconds?
E = –μ(Bcosθ)
A. 0J
Equation 1
B. 4 × 10–25 J
where θ is the angle between the magnetic moment (a C. 2 × 10–22 J
vector in the direction from South pole to North pole) and the D. 1 × 10–21 J
magnetic field.

The magnetic field for MRI can come from a permanent 3. How is TMS different from MRI?
magnet or an electromagnet. Partly due to size considerations,
modern MRI machines typically use superconducting A. The body parts subjected to fields in TMS are
electromagnets cooled to 4 K by liquid helium; such magnets permanently affected, whereas MRI effects
can take the form of solenoids through which an electric disappear quickly.
current runs to generate a nearly uniform field in the interior. B. The magnetic fields in TMS do not affect hydrogen
Since they are superconducting, they have essentially zero atoms, whereas MRI fields do.
resistance, so they can maintain currents even after the voltage C. MRI only uses electric currents to create magnetic
inducing the current has been removed. This superconductivity fields; TMS only does the reverse.
is precarious because the resistivity of the materials generally D. None of the above.
rises with temperature if the resistance is non-zero.

MRI scans do not have significant long-term effects on

the imaged parts of the body, but other uses of magnetic
fields can modify internal processes, sometimes with lasting
consequences. One example of this is transcranial magnetic
stimulation (TMS), which uses oscillating magnetic fields to
induce electric currents in the brain. These currents last only
as long as the magnetic fields are present (in conventional
TMS) or can be more long-term (in Repetitive TMS, or rTMS).
TMS may be used to create effects in the brain that can then
be measured by MRI.

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MCAT Topic Focus
4. What is the magnitude of the lowest energy of a magnetic
moment of strength 5 m2 A oriented parallel to a
magnetic field in a typical initial-stage MRI scan?
A. 0J
B. 0.5 J
C. 0.6 J
D. 15 J
5. In a superconducting electromagnet in an MRI scanner, if
the temperature of a piece of the electromagnet suddenly
rises significantly above the level at which the current-
carrying material is superconducting and the resistance
becomes non-zero, which of the following is the most
likely effect?
A. The thermal energy will dissipate into the liquid
helium, and the temperature of the piece will return
to superconducting levels.
B. The magnetic field in the electromagnet will increase
in magnitude dramatically, potentially causing harm
to the person being scanned.
C. The current inside that piece of the electromagnet
will become smaller than the current elsewhere
in the coils, and this will introduce a defect in the
uniformity of the magnetic field within.
D. The current will heat the piece and increase its
resistance in a reinforcing cycle, and it will also heat
the surrounding material, ending superconductivity.
Physics
6. In an MRI scanner with a solenoid electromagnet, what
is the ratio of the magnetic field strength along the axis
of the solenoid to the magnetic field strength halfway
between the axis and the coils?
A. 0.5
B. 1
C. 2
D. 4
7. Which of the following expresses the reason that the
magnetic moments of the hydrogen atoms align with the
external magnetic field?
A. The proton within each hydrogen atom is attracted in
the direction of the field line, and the electron in the
opposite direction.
B. The magnetic field exerts a constant torque on the
nucleons, giving them an angular acceleration.
C. Alignment with the field lines represents the lowest
energy state for the magnetic moments.
D. The external magnetic field induces electric currents
in the body, which give the atoms a preferred
direction in which to orient.
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