- #1
xortdsc
- 98
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Hi,
I have a few questions regarding the experimental outcome of the stern-gerlach experiment.
Let's suppose the following setup: We have a magnetic field whose field-lines point towards the positive z axis and the intensity of that field becomes stronger towards the positive z axis, so there is a gradient in the magnetic field strength with respect to the z-axis.
(1) When shooting a electrically neutral silver atom along the x-axis through this field it will be deflected slightly along the z axis by a specific amount depending on the spin it has. And since it can only have +1/2 or -1/2 spin it follows either one of 2 possible paths.
So a single beam of silver-atoms will split (along the z axis) into 2 sharp beams (assuming it was composed equally of +1/2 and -1/2 spin atoms).
This should be the standard setup of the stern-gerlach experiment. Did I understand that correctly ?
(2) In case the magnetic field would be homogenous no such splitting is seen ?
(3) When performing the original experiment using electrons instead of silver atoms, will the same splitting along the z axis occur ? Is the only difference that the electrons trajectory will additionally bend into a circle in the xy plane because of its electric charge ?
(4) Is the splitting only seen for moving particles ? So an atom at rest within the (inhomogenous) magnetic field will NOT feel any force along the z axis ?
(5) How do the beams behave for other spins like 0, 1 and 3/2 compared to the case of 1/2 ?
(6) How do we know that neutrinos have 1/2 spin ?
I hope somebody can give me some clarity on this. :)
Cheers.
I have a few questions regarding the experimental outcome of the stern-gerlach experiment.
Let's suppose the following setup: We have a magnetic field whose field-lines point towards the positive z axis and the intensity of that field becomes stronger towards the positive z axis, so there is a gradient in the magnetic field strength with respect to the z-axis.
(1) When shooting a electrically neutral silver atom along the x-axis through this field it will be deflected slightly along the z axis by a specific amount depending on the spin it has. And since it can only have +1/2 or -1/2 spin it follows either one of 2 possible paths.
So a single beam of silver-atoms will split (along the z axis) into 2 sharp beams (assuming it was composed equally of +1/2 and -1/2 spin atoms).
This should be the standard setup of the stern-gerlach experiment. Did I understand that correctly ?
(2) In case the magnetic field would be homogenous no such splitting is seen ?
(3) When performing the original experiment using electrons instead of silver atoms, will the same splitting along the z axis occur ? Is the only difference that the electrons trajectory will additionally bend into a circle in the xy plane because of its electric charge ?
(4) Is the splitting only seen for moving particles ? So an atom at rest within the (inhomogenous) magnetic field will NOT feel any force along the z axis ?
(5) How do the beams behave for other spins like 0, 1 and 3/2 compared to the case of 1/2 ?
(6) How do we know that neutrinos have 1/2 spin ?
I hope somebody can give me some clarity on this. :)
Cheers.