Spin Definition and 1000 Threads

  1. M

    Electron and Nuclear spin interaction

    Homework Statement Hello, I'm asked to show the equivalence of the given Hamiltonian below which describes the interaction between an electron and a nucleus and the following Hamiltonian The Attempt at a Solution [/B] I've simply written down each Hamiltonian as a sum of four tensor...
  2. K

    I Higgs Boson, Electrons and Spin

    I have two questions... I'm sorry for my bad English. - Is it correct to think of the Higgs Boson as a quantization of the Higgs Field, as the photon is the quanta of Electromagnetic Field? - The property we call spin appears when we analyze electrons interacting with a magnetic field. But...
  3. Dishsoap

    Density matrix of spin 1 system

    Homework Statement Consider an ensemble of spin 1 systems (a mixed state made of the spin 1 system). The density matrix is now a 3x3 matrix. How many independent parameters are needed to characterize the density matrix? What must we know in addition to Sx, Sy and Sz to characterize the mixed...
  4. C

    B Can you change a quantum particle's spin?

    I've been doing some research on this but I've been seeing conflicting answers. 1 group of answers says an electron's spin can be changed using a magnetic field. Is the same thing true for quarks?(like the up down quarks in protons and neutrons?). Another set of answers are saying it's...
  5. K

    I Measuring Spin in the Stern Gerlach Experiment

    When we are measuring the spin of the electron in the experiment, we choose the spin property as its eigen state for the measurement. The eigen vectors corresponding to these states could be time dependent. Can we still break the problem into solving time independent Schrodinger Equation and...
  6. FallenApple

    Collision of two billiard balls with spin

    Assume both billiard balls have same mass and same radius. So situation 1: ball 1 is moving forward without slipping on a surface and collides elastically with ball 2 which is stationary on that same surface. I read that immediately after the impact, ball 1 stops and keeps spinning with its...
  7. Fishbowl

    B Why Doesn't a Helicopter Drift Away as the Earth Spins?

    Hello good people! If i liftoff from the Earth in a helicopter and continually ascend slowly, at that moment i have beat gravity(i realize it is still hanging on to me, however the rotorforce/upforce is greater than it), therefore gravity should no longer hold me to the ballearth(because it has...
  8. S

    A Transverse polarizations of a massless spin 1 particle

    Physical polarization vectors are transverse, ##p\cdot{\epsilon}=0##, where ##p## is the momentum of a photon and ##\epsilon## is a polarization vector. Physical polarization vectors are unchanged under a gauge transformation ##\epsilon + a\cdot{p}=\epsilon##, where ##a## is some arbitrary...
  9. Dishsoap

    Possible Values of J & Linearly Independent States

    Homework Statement Consider eigenstates of the total angular momentum $$\vec{J}=\vec{J}_1+\vec{J}_2+\vec{J}_3$$ where all of the \vec{J}_i are for j=1 , and let J(J+1) be the eigenvalue of \vec{J}^2. a) What are the possible values of J? How many linearly independent states are there for...
  10. Ontophobe

    B FTL Spin 1 Gauge Boson: Impact of Dark Matter Discovery

    What would be the ramifications of discovering that a) dark matter radiates something non-electromagnetic, and that b) this radiation always travels at a constant velocity according to all inertial reference frames, but c) this constant velocity is equal to, say, c times pi?
  11. RedDelicious

    I Help Understanding Electron Spin Resonance

    Hello, I am learning about electron spin resonance and I just want to see if my understanding is correct. From what I gathered, if you place a paramagnetic material in a magnetic field, the electron energy levels split, and when you then apply EM radiation (generally microwave frequency) that...
  12. W

    B Could spin be a combination of magnetic monopoles?

    Hey all, Is it correct to say that magnetic moment of particles with spin is because of the spin itself, and has nothing to do with any moving charge? The exception here would be the photon of course, but I'm not sure whether "photon spin" is the same kind of angular momentum as the spin of...
  13. Chris Frisella

    I Does the electron really spin 720 degrees?

    A photon has a spin of 1, while an electron is 1/2. I've heard it said that the electron needs to spin 720 degrees to complete a full cycle. Is there any proof that the electron is spinning 720 degrees and not just spinning 360 degrees, but at a lower harmonic of the photon-- 1/2 the photon's...
  14. A

    I Spin Foam models in Loop Quantum Gravity

    Hi all, I fairly basic question about spin foam models in loop quantum gravity. I just want to verify that spin foams represent effectively represent all of spacetime (in a quantum form), and that the idea is that general relativity can be obtained in the classical limit? Not sure if that's...
  15. felici95

    A Emergence of spin 2 particles from lowers spin particles

    I was referring a lecture series by Professor Hong Liu. In his first lecture on Emergence of gravity he says, "massless spin-2 particles (gravitons) can arise as bound states in a theory of massless spin-1 (photons, gluons) and spin- 1 particles (protons, electrons)". What does it exactly...
  16. T

    B Helicopter Spin: What Makes Objects Fall Out?

    I understand a helicopter in spin would mean a stabilizer is gone and the helicopter cannot maintain its stable altitude. However, I've noticed that helicopters have a tendency not to dip in free fall. I mention that bc I am curious as to what force is at play when objects and people (sorry...
  17. M

    Are these arrows indicating the spin of electrons?

    Image source: at 02:30
  18. S

    B Understanding Spin: A Basic Explanation for Beginners in Physics

    I know that I'm kinda asking for a lot here, but can any of you give me, a person with lesser experience in physics, a basic explanation of spin? I've found out that a particle's spin can be compared to a transistor, but that didn't really tell me what it actually is. What does it define? For...
  19. D

    I Spin Eigenvectors: | + > vs | - >?

    When considering the 2 eigenvectors of the Sz operator the | + > eigenvector points in the positive z direction and the | - > points in the negative z direction ; so is it correct to write | + > = - | - > ? And similarly for the eigenvectors of the Sx and Sy operators ? Thanks
  20. Nosebgr

    Overlap of two spin one-half states.

    Homework Statement Consider a spin state |n; +> where n is the unit vector defined by the polar and azimuthal angles θ and φ and the spin state |n'; +> where n' is the unit vector defined by the polar and azimuthal angles θ' and φ'. Let γ denote the angle between the vectors n and n': n⋅n' =...
  21. A

    I How to discretize the Schrödinger equation with spin

    So I have previously learned how to discretize the Schrödinger equation on the form: (p^2/2m + V)ψ = Eψ , where the second order derivative is approximated as: (ψi+1+ψi-1-2ψi)/2Δx Such that the whole equation can be translated into a matrix eigenvalue-equation. The problem is that I am now...
  22. gasar8

    Two particles with spin - measurements

    Homework Statement We have got two particles with S_1=1 and S_2=1. We know that S_{1z}|\psi_1\rangle=\hbar |\psi_1\rangle and S_{2x}|\psi_2\rangle = \hbar |\psi_2\rangle. a) Find wave function |\psi_1\rangle in S_{1z} basis and |\psi_2\rangle in S_{2z} basis. b) We measure S^2 of total...
  23. Irfan Nafi

    B Why does the Great Red Spot spin counter-clockwise?

    Jupiter's spins the same way the Earth does, so the Coriolis effect should make the Great Red Spot spin clockwise, but it's an anti-cyclone. Why is that?
  24. tomdodd4598

    I Physical eigenstates of systems of n particles of spins sᵢ?

    I am relatively well versed when it comes to systems of spin, or doing the maths for them at least, but am unsure whether all of the {L2, Lz, (other required quantum numbers)} basis eigenstates for a general system of n particles of spins si, where si is the spin of the ith particle, can...
  25. J

    I Spin 1/2 particle emitting spin 2 particle?

    As I understand it (e.g. from discussions around the Fermi field theory of the nuclear force), a spin 1/2 particle can emit a spin-1 particle and simultaneously flip its spin (say, spin +1/2 -> photon +1 & spin -1/2); but how does this work with spin-2 particles? Does it need to emit pairs in...
  26. M

    A How Does the Dirac Spin Exchange Operator Work in Quantum Mechanics?

    The spin exchange operator would have the property $$\begin{align*}P\mid \chi_{\uparrow\downarrow} \rangle = \mid\chi_{\downarrow\uparrow} \rangle & &P\mid \chi_{\downarrow\uparrow} \rangle =\mid \chi_{\uparrow\downarrow} \rangle \end{align*}$$ This also implies ##P\mid \chi_{\text{sym.}}...
  27. Irfan Nafi

    B What does half-integer spin mean?

    I've read that this is one of the meaning that define a lepton and I was curious to see what this means. Other resources aren't being very clear.
  28. J

    A Gluon spin and quark confinement

    Gluons are spin 1 particles so the Strong Force can both attract and repulse. The constituent partons of a meson are a quark and an antiquark so they must carry a given color and its anticolor, respectively, in order that there is no net color carried by the parton. In that case, the force...
  29. aladinlamp

    A Can a Ring Laser Interferometer Measure Earth's Spin and Determine Latitude?

    Hi is there any device or experiment, which could measure Earth spin vector and magnitude, centrifugal/centripetal forces, so i could derive from it, where is west and east , what's the vector of Earth rotation and what's my lattitude. Im assuming these forces and effects has to be...
  30. Chris Frisella

    I What test for determing particle spin?

    Perhaps a silly question, but... As I understand it, if a particle has a 1/2 spin, it must be spun 720 degrees for it to arrive at its original orientation. What experiment spins a particle like this? Has there been one that actually spins a particle 720 degrees and checks its orientation? Or...
  31. B

    Can a magnetic field create angular momentum?

    I know that magnetic fields can align objects with spin. In that case, if we suspend an object and turn on a magnetic field such that a significant number of electrons become aligned with the field, could we observe a macroscopic change in angular momentum?
  32. J

    I What is the energy due to Spin?

    Hi folks, A simple question, in classical mechanics for example you have: -Because of the speed --> Kinetic energy =1/2 m v^2 -Because of position in a gravitational field ---> Potential energy In quantum mechanics, let's talk about an electron on an hydrogen atom. From the point of view of...
  33. R

    B A question about Electron spin

    I was wondering just what physical properties of an electron influence it's probability of being detected in a certain spin state? For example, if I prepare an electron in the spin up state along say the way y-axis (vertical axis) and pass it through a detector that is at 0 degrees, then using...
  34. Clever Penguin

    B Quantum Entanglement. Is spin conserved?

    I have two photons that are entangled and exist in all possible states simultaneously. By measuring photon A, I cause the superposition to collapse, and i can see that it has a certain spin (say left). This measurement also causes photon B's superposition to collapse, but will it be spinning...
  35. chi_rho

    A Transforming Spin Matrices (Sx, Sy, Sz) to a Spherical Basis

    Say I have {S_{x}=\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\left(\begin{array}{ccc} 0 & 1 & 0\\ 1 & 0 & 1\\ 0 & 1 & 0\\ \end{array}\right)} Right now, this spin operator is in the Cartesian basis. I want to transform it into the spherical basis. Since, {\vec{S}} acts like a vector I think that I only need to...
  36. carllacan

    I How do we know the spin of a field?

    If we use the Weyl representation the solutions to the Dirac equation turn out to be eigenfunctions of the S3 operator with eigenvalues 1/2 and -1/2, so we say that the field has spin 1/2. But what about other fields? Why do we say the scalar real and complex field have spin 0? I tried...
  37. Muthumanimaran

    I Solve Eigenstates Doubt: Prof. Leonard Susskind's Quantum Mechanics

    I am currently reading Prof.Leonard Susskind's Lecture on Quantum Mechanics. In the Chapter: Spin in the arbitrary directions, in the subdivision Eigenstates In case $$\lambda=1$$ Prof states that measuring spin in arbitrary +n state gives me +1 as eigenvalue, what I don't understand is the next...
  38. Garlic

    I Electron wave energies different for +½ and -½ spin?

    Hello everyone, How come the electron wave energy states are different for spin -½ and +½ values? What causes this asymmetry?
  39. A

    Using orbital spin to accelerate an interstellar launch

    Ok, so I know I'm missing something here. But, you know how pool balls that rotate opposite direction increase the speed of one of them through kinetic transfer? Why don't we build a launch platform based on this approach and use the orbital spin of the Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn (gaining speed...
  40. S

    A What is the Spin Connection Equation for Gauging the Poincare Group?

    Dear All in the idea of gauging Poincare group i am trying to find the equation of motion of the spin connection w_mu^ab using Euler Lagrange equation. but it seems that i am not getting the same terms can i have a help. I know that this equation is equivalent to the torsionless condition, but...
  41. K

    A Spin 2 theory and connection to GR

    http://arxiv.org/abs/1105.3735 I have a question about the paper that haushofer mentioned. In the paper, the author states that Moving on to helicity 2, the required gauge symmetry is linearized general coordinate invariance. Asking for consistent self interactions leads essentially uniquely...
  42. A

    B Is Neutrino Spin Truly Equal to Electron Spin?

    Is there any experimental evidence that neutrino spin is equal to the electron spin ( I think h/4pi, right?) If it is just an assumed intrinsic property,can you explain on what grounds it is assumed as such, is it juas a matter of parity?
  43. avito009

    B Does more angular monentum mean faster spin?

    If a top has angular momentum of 12 units and the Earth has angular momentum of 100. Does this mean that Earth is spinning faster than the top since it has more angular momentum? The answer is there at the back of my head but can't articulate it.
  44. Zoey

    Is Electron Spin always Well Balanced?

    Just curious. Any answers would be appreciated. Thanks!
  45. P

    Predicting spin and parity of excited states from shell mode

    Homework Statement Consider the following example from a previous exam. We are to predict the spin and parity for F(A=17,Z=9), Florine, in the ground state and the first two excited states using the shell model. Ground state: Neutrons: (1s 1/2)^2 (1p 3/2)^4 (1p 1/2)^2 Protons: (1s 1/2)^2...
  46. I

    Eigenvalues of a spin-orbit Hamiltonian

    Good day everyone, The question is as following: Consider an electron gas with Hamiltonian: \mathcal{H} = -\frac{\hbar^2 \nabla^2}{2m} + \alpha (\boldsymbol{\sigma} \cdot \nabla) where α parameterizes a model spin-orbit interaction. Compute the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of wave vector k...
  47. L

    For given Hamiltonian, is spin conserved?

    A system consisting of two spins is described by the Hamiltonian (b>0) H = aσ1 ⋅ σ2 + b(σ1z - σ2z) where a and b are constants. (a) Is the total spin S = ½ (σ1 + σ2) conserved? Which components of S, if any, are conserved? (b) Find the eigenvalues of H and the corresponding...
  48. I

    Nuclear shell model, spin and parity predictions

    Homework Statement Not exactly a homework problem but I tried to predict the spin and parity of (the ground states of) ##^{89}Sr##,##^{97}Zr## and ##^{137}Ba## using the shell model and my results seem to differ from the tables. Homework Equations Parity ##\pi = (-1)^l## Figure 4 seems to...
  49. D

    I Why can’t force-carrying particle (spin 0, 1, 2) be detected

    Why can’t force-carrying particles (spin 0, 1, 2) be detected by particle detector? Some have masses!
  50. J

    How does friction create spin in a tennis ball

    Homework Statement So I have to do a report about tennis and about the spin. I understand how the magnus effect works and how the ball will bounce but am still unable to figure out how the actual spin is created by the contact with the racquet and the moving ball Homework Equations T=Fr The...
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