Understanding Photon Spin: Debunking Common Misconceptions

In summary, photons, gluons, and W and Z bosons can have 3 different possibilities for their spin angular momentum according to Wikipedia. However, it should be noted that photons are massless and therefore only have 2 projections, while W and Z bosons have 3 due to their mass. This information contradicts what the teacher said in class, as photons do not have a spin of -1, 0, or 1 as stated. This is an important concept in quantum mechanics, which the speaker admits to not having studied extensively.
  • #1
cragar
2,552
3
My teacher said in class a while back that a photon can have a spin of -1 , 0 , 1 ,
Is this correct , And also it says on Wikipedia that photons and gluons and W and Z bosons can have 3 different possibilities for their spin angular momentum , obviously Wikipedia could be wrong
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stern–Gerlach_experiment
if you look in the Basic theory and description section on the wiki article about 80% the way down it had photons and W and Z bosons highlighted in blue and talks about their spin ,
I have not studied QM very much ,
 
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  • #2
Your teacher is wrong :)

"Spin" s is an intrinsic property of a particle and has one value: 0,1/2,1,... However, the spin can be projected. For massive particles this gives 2s+1 different projections. For a spin-1 particle this is thus 2s+1=2+1=3 different projections. However, the caveat here is ofcourse that photons are massless. Mathematically this erases one of the projections (degrees of freedom), and thus the photon has 2 projections. This corresponds to the experimental well-known fact that photons have 2 different polarizations.

For your W and Z bosons; these are massive, and as such do have 2s+1=3 polarizations.

Hope this helps :)
 
  • #3
thanks for the response , so the photons polarization depends on its spin projection ,
 

What is the concept of photon spin?

The concept of photon spin refers to the intrinsic angular momentum of a photon, which is a type of elementary particle that carries electromagnetic energy. This spin is a fundamental property of photons and is related to their polarization, or the direction of their oscillation in an electromagnetic field.

Can photons have different spin values?

Yes, photons can have a spin value of either +1 or -1, which corresponds to their polarization in a particular direction. This spin value is always constant for a given photon and cannot be changed.

Is photon spin the same as physical spin?

No, photon spin is a quantum mechanical property and is not related to the physical spinning of an object. Instead, it is a fundamental property of a particle that cannot be fully explained using classical mechanics.

Do photons actually spin like a physical object?

No, photons do not physically spin in the same way that a soccer ball or a top does. The concept of spin for photons is a mathematical description of their intrinsic angular momentum and does not involve any physical rotation.

Can photon spin be changed or manipulated?

No, the spin of a photon is a fundamental property that cannot be changed or manipulated. However, the polarization of a photon can be altered by passing it through certain materials or using specialized equipment, but this does not change the spin value itself.

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