Reduced mass effect on gyromagnetic factor

In summary, the conversation discusses the effect of reduced mass on the orbital g factor, specifically referencing Bethe and Salpeter's work on the topic. The individual is unable to find mention of this effect elsewhere and turns to the example of positronium to better understand it. They mention that, based on their calculations, the orbital g factor for positronium should be 0 due to the cancellation of electron and positron currents. However, they also note that Lamb's work supports Bethe and Salpeter's findings.
  • #1
Khashishi
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Is there an effect of reduced mass on the orbital g factor? In Bethe and Salpeter (1957) Quantum Mechanics of One and Two Electron Atoms p214, it mentions a reduced mass effect on ##g_L = \frac{\mu}{m_e}##. (At least, that's what my notes said. I don't have Bethe and Salpeter in front of me now.)
But I can't find mention of it anywhere else. Wikipedia says that ##g_L = 1## exactly.

So I tried to sort it out by using positronium as an example. Now, for the case of positronium, the energy levels are about half of hydrogen, so the average distance between the electron and positron is twice the distance between the electron and proton. Basically, they orbit the center of mass at the same distance. The 2p state has ##l=1## and ##L=\sqrt{2}\hbar##. The orbital angular momentum is equally shared between the positron and electron, so the average orbital velocity of each is about half of the orbital velocity of the electron in the hydrogen atom. This means the current from the electron is half, and the magnetic field should be half also. Right? But also, the positron has a current which cancels the electron current, so the orbital g factor should be 0? Did I think that through correctly?
 
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  • #2
Lamb. Physical Review 85 2 (1952). eqn 153 shows an effective ##g_L = 1-(1/M)## where I guess M is the mass ratio. So it agrees with Bethe and Salpeter. But I'm still bothered by the positronium example.
 

1. What is the reduced mass effect on the gyromagnetic factor?

The reduced mass effect on the gyromagnetic factor is a phenomenon observed in quantum mechanics where the effective mass of a particle is used in the calculation of its magnetic moment. This is due to the fact that particles with spin, such as electrons and protons, have a magnetic moment that is directly related to their mass and angular momentum.

2. How does the reduced mass affect the gyromagnetic factor?

The reduced mass affects the gyromagnetic factor by altering the effective mass of the particle in the calculation of its magnetic moment. This results in a smaller or larger magnetic moment compared to the actual mass of the particle. The reduced mass is calculated using the masses of the particles involved and their relative motion in the system.

3. Why is the reduced mass effect important in the study of magnetic properties?

The reduced mass effect is important in the study of magnetic properties because it allows us to accurately calculate the magnetic moments of particles with spin. This is crucial in understanding the behavior of atoms and molecules in magnetic fields, as well as in many applications such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.

4. How is the reduced mass effect calculated?

The reduced mass effect is calculated using the formula μred = (m1m2)/(m1+m2), where m1 and m2 are the masses of the two particles involved. This formula takes into account the relative motion of the particles in the system, resulting in an effective mass that is used in the calculation of the gyromagnetic factor.

5. How does the reduced mass effect compare to the mass of the particle?

The reduced mass effect is usually smaller than the actual mass of the particle, as it takes into account the relative motion of the particles in the system. This means that the calculated magnetic moment may be slightly smaller or larger than the actual magnetic moment of the particle. However, for most practical purposes, the difference is negligible and the reduced mass approach provides accurate results in the study of magnetic properties.

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