Nut Compensation. The physics / mechanics of how it works.

When you compensaste a guitar nut, you are moving the string "break point" closer toward the body of the guitar by varying amounts for each string. This changes the ratio of the "scale length " to the "fretted length" and flattens the note going up the neck. Each string will have a different amount of "shelf" extension for the amount of compensation needed.

The compensated shelf amounts will be staggered much like the bridge is staggered on an intonated bridge on a regular guitar with no nut compensation.

When the nut compensation is done however, the bridge intonation must be changed back to a more straight line, almost in line position and mover back toward the nut end by nearly the same amount as the nut compensation amount for each string. This may vary depending on the string height (action) desired.

The amount of compensating effect at the nut will be the same all the way up the neck. The amount of intonation at the bridge will have the most effect at the 12th (or higher) frets on the guitar and less and less effect as you move down the neck toward the headstock.

So the effect is similar to blending a linear scale (nut comp) and a log scale (bridge intonation) until they mesh correctly.