How does the Stern Gerlach experiment split a beam of hydrogen atoms?

In summary, this conversation is discussing the splitting of a beam of hydrogen atoms in a magnetic field. It is known that the beam will be split into two parts, but the plane in which the two parts exist is unknown. The left hand rule can be used to determine that the beams will split along the same plane as the magnetic field is in.
  • #1
Amith2006
427
2

Homework Statement



If a beam of hydrogen atoms in ground state are passed through an inhomogeneous magnetic field, into how many paths will the beam be split? Assume that the beam is moving towards the plane of this page and the magnetic field is directed in the upward direction in the plane of this page.


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


It is known fact that naturally the beam will be divided into 2. What about the plane in which the 2 split beams exist. When I apply Flemings left hand rule, I find that it is in the horizontal plane. But the answer says, it is in the vertical plane.
 
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  • #2
Amith2006 said:

Homework Statement



If a beam of hydrogen atoms in ground state are passed through an inhomogeneous magnetic field, into how many paths will the beam be split? Assume that the beam is moving towards the plane of this page and the magnetic field is directed in the upward direction in the plane of this page.


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


It is known fact that naturally the beam will be divided into 2. What about the plane in which the 2 split beams exist. When I apply Flemings left hand rule, I find that it is in the horizontal plane. But the answer says, it is in the vertical plane.

I don't know much about Fleming's left hand rule, but the two beams should split along the same plane the magnetic field is in. You can convince yourself of this by looking at the magnetic force and the spin of the particles in terms of vector components.

I'd be careful with using the word 'natural' in anything related to quantum mechanics due to the fact that there are some unnatural features, Stern-Gerlach included. Scientists were shocked when the SG apparatus showed that particles, under the influence of a gradient magnetic field, would have discrete values, rather than a continuous distribution that was actually expected.
 
  • #3
I looked up Fleming's left hand rule real quick online, and it seems that has application for electric motors only, and not magnetic fields.

For Stern-Gerlach, you should be looking at [tex]\mathbf{F}=-\nabla\left(-\boldsymbol{\mu}\cdot\mathbf{B}\right)[/tex] to convince yourself that the particles will separate into the 2 components along the axis of the gradient magnetic field.
 
  • #4
Thanx dude.
 

1. What is the Stern Gerlach experiment?

The Stern Gerlach experiment is a physics experiment that was first conducted in 1922 by Otto Stern and Walther Gerlach. It is used to demonstrate the quantization of angular momentum, which is a fundamental property of particles.

2. How does the Stern Gerlach experiment work?

In the experiment, a beam of particles is passed through a non-uniform magnetic field. The particles have a magnetic moment, and as they pass through the field, they experience a force that causes them to split into two beams. This splitting is due to the quantization of angular momentum.

3. What is the significance of the Stern Gerlach experiment?

The Stern Gerlach experiment provided evidence for the existence of quantized angular momentum, which was a major breakthrough in the field of quantum mechanics. It also helped to demonstrate the wave-particle duality of particles and the concept of superposition.

4. What are some applications of the Stern Gerlach experiment?

The experiment has been used in various applications, such as testing the conservation of angular momentum and measuring the magnetic moment of particles. It has also been used to study the spin properties of atoms and to manipulate and control the spin of particles in quantum computing.

5. Are there any variations of the Stern Gerlach experiment?

Yes, there have been various variations of the Stern Gerlach experiment, such as the inverse Stern Gerlach experiment, which uses an electric field instead of a magnetic field. There have also been experiments using different types of particles, such as electrons, protons, and neutrons, to study their spin properties.

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