Is Spin an Intrinsic Property of Electrons?

In summary: The electron has a magnetic moment, which is a measure of its intrinsic angular momentum. This moment is present even when the electron is not orbiting an atom, or even at rest.
  • #1
bobie
Gold Member
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Just a simple question:
what happens to an electron beam in a S-G apparatus , does it split up in two spin-up/spin-down?
if not, can you tell why?

Thanks
 
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  • #3
In theory, it could. In practice, however, the Lorentz force completely dominates as electrons are charged objects. Every tiny inhomogeneity in the setup (beyond the necessary one for the magnetic field), a tiny beam divergence and so on will ruin the separation. It is probably not impossible, but really hard, and I did not see it realized yet.
 
  • #4
I just Googled "Stern-Gerlach with electrons" and got 148,000 results. It would be helpful if you were to take a look at a few of these and then ask questions about specific things you don't understand.
 
  • #5
Simon Bridge said:
mfb said:
In theory, it could. In practice, however, the Lorentz force completely dominates as electrons are charged objects.

Simon's link says the same:
The problem with using a standard Stern-Gerlach magnet for electrons is that the splitting is completely blurred by the Lorentz force acting
on a beam of finite transverse dimensions [1]. Brillouin suggested an alternate experiment ... This approach, however, was declared unsound
I wonder why with Google I got only 4 hits , (most, German articles:https://www.google.it/search?num=10...1.1.0...0...1c.1.37.serp..0.1.171.PitejvVSe0c)
I was searching for a definitive proof that spin is an intrinsic property of the electron, present also when it is not orbiting in an atom, or even at rest.
Of course I do not understand many things , I have read a few threads here and I see I am not the only one.
I can't see, for example, how an electron at rest can have angular or particularly a magnetic moment, and how an intrinsic property can have two opposing values.
 
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  • #6
bobie said:
I was searching for a definitive proof that spin is an intrinsic property of the electron, present also when it is not orbiting in an atom, or even at rest.
This kind of bait and switch tactic in questioning is not appropriate. If that is what you want to know then ask directly about that. Do not ask about an experiment which is not suited to measuring the thing you are actually interested in. It wastes everyone's time, frustrates the participants, and gives a bad impression of you.

http://gabrielse.physics.harvard.edu/gabrielse/overviews/ElectronMagneticMoment/ElectronMagneticMoment.html
 
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Related to Is Spin an Intrinsic Property of Electrons?

1. What is the Stern-Gerlach experiment with electrons?

The Stern-Gerlach experiment is a classic physics experiment that involves passing a beam of electrons through a magnetic field. This experiment was first performed by Otto Stern and Walther Gerlach in 1922 and has since been used to study the quantum properties of particles.

2. How does the Stern-Gerlach experiment work?

In the Stern-Gerlach experiment, a beam of electrons is passed through a non-uniform magnetic field. The electrons, which have a magnetic moment, experience a force in the presence of the magnetic field. This causes the electrons to deflect either up or down, depending on their spin orientation.

3. What is the significance of the Stern-Gerlach experiment in quantum mechanics?

The Stern-Gerlach experiment was one of the first experiments to demonstrate the quantized nature of spin in particles. This experiment provided evidence for the existence of spin as a fundamental quantum property and played a crucial role in the development of quantum mechanics.

4. What were the results of the Stern-Gerlach experiment with electrons?

The results of the Stern-Gerlach experiment showed that the spin of electrons is quantized, meaning that it can only take on certain discrete values. This was a groundbreaking discovery that challenged classical theories of physics and paved the way for the development of quantum mechanics.

5. How has the Stern-Gerlach experiment been used in other areas of research?

Since its initial discovery, the Stern-Gerlach experiment has been replicated and used in various fields of research, including atomic physics, particle physics, and quantum computing. It has also been used to study the behavior of other particles, such as protons and neutrons, and has provided insights into the nature of quantum states and superposition.

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