Final answer:
The nucleus of a deuterium atom does exhibit nuclear spin and can absorb rf radiation but at different frequencies than protons. Because NMR is sensitive to the type of nucleus, deuterium signals will not appear in a 1H NMR spectrum but can be detected using a specific deuterium NMR approach.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nucleus of a deuterium atom does exhibit nuclear spin and absorbs rf (radio frequency) radiation. Deuterium, which is an isotope of hydrogen, has a nucleus consisting of one proton and one neutron, giving it a nuclear spin that allows it to interact with external magnetic fields. However, because deuterium nuclei have a different magnetic moment than protons, they resonate at different frequencies under the same magnetic field strength. Deuterium absorbs radiation over a different range of frequencies compared to protons because the specific frequency for resonance absorption depends on the type of nucleus as well as its magnetic environment.
Given that nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a resonance phenomenon where nuclei in a magnetic field only absorb certain frequencies of radio waves, the nucleus of a deuterium atom will produce a signal; however, it will not be in a 1H NMR spectrum because the frequency of this rf radiation is specific to protons (1H) and not deuterium (2H). Instead, deuterium is observed using 2H or D NMR spectroscopy. Therefore, the nucleus of a deuterium atom will not produce a signal in a 1H NMR spectrum.