Fermions, Pauli and antisymmetry

In summary, Pauli's exclusion principle was based on his understanding of electron shells and the need for a principle to prevent all electrons reaching the ground state. The fact that fermions must have a totally antisymmetric wave function can be derived from quantum field theory and is unique to quantum theory. Pauli also derived a version of the spin statistics theorem, which was published in 1940.
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imsmooth
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How did Pauli determine his exclusion principle? Was it based on how he posited electron shells filled? Is the fact that fermions are antisymmetic a mathematical solution to make the principle work with quantum theory?
 
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  • #2
imsmooth said:
How did Pauli determine his exclusion principle? Was it based on how he posited electron shells filled? Is the fact that fermions are antisymmetic a mathematical solution to make the principle work with quantum theory?
I don't know the historical side, but I think it became clear that there must be some principle at work to prevent all electrons reaching the ground state.

That the wave function for identical fermions must be totally antisymmetric can be derived from QFT. As far as straight QM goes, it's essentially an axiom.

There is nothing like it outside of quantum theory: it's a purely QM phenomenon.
 
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I think it was also Pauli who derived a first version of the spin statistics theorem.
 
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1. What are fermions?

Fermions are a type of subatomic particle that make up matter. They are characterized by their half-integer spin and follow the rules of Fermi-Dirac statistics.

2. Who is Pauli and what is his contribution to the study of fermions?

Wolfgang Pauli was a physicist who is best known for his work on the exclusion principle, which states that no two fermions can occupy the same quantum state simultaneously. This principle is crucial in understanding the behavior of fermions in atoms and other systems.

3. What is the significance of the antisymmetry property in fermions?

The antisymmetry property in fermions refers to the fact that the wave function of a system of identical fermions must be antisymmetric under particle exchange. This is a consequence of the exclusion principle and has important implications in quantum mechanics.

4. Can fermions exhibit both wave-like and particle-like behavior?

Yes, fermions can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like behavior, depending on the experimental setup. This is known as wave-particle duality and is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics.

5. How do fermions differ from bosons?

Fermions and bosons are two types of subatomic particles with different properties. While fermions have half-integer spin and follow the exclusion principle, bosons have integer spin and do not follow this principle. Additionally, fermions make up matter while bosons are responsible for fundamental forces.

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