Changing the spin of an electron

  • Thread starter Thread starter varadgautam
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Electron Spin
Click For Summary
Changing the intrinsic spin of an electron from 1/2 to 2/2 is not possible; the spin quantum number is a fixed property of the particle. However, it is feasible to alter the direction of an electron's spin, such as flipping it from +1/2 (up) to -1/2 (down). This directional change can be influenced by external factors like magnetic fields, which cause randomly oriented spins to align with the field. Flipping an electron's spin may require the application of angular momentum rather than energy alone. Understanding these principles is crucial in fields like quantum mechanics and spintronics.
varadgautam
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Is it possible to change the spin of an electron (or any particle) by supplying some energy to it?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
The spin itself as in changing the 1/2 to 2/2? If so, no. It is not possible. However it is possible to change the direction of the spin, as in changing it from an up spin to a down spin.
 
By changing I mean +1/2 to -1/2
 
I believe so, as the + and - simply refer to the direction.
 
Isn't that what a magnetic field does? The initially randomly spinning electrons change their spins to align with the magnetic field.
 
in order to flip a spin you don't necessarily have to supply energy but angular momentum ...
 

Similar threads

Undergrad Why do all fermions have the same spin 1/2?
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
4K
Undergrad Does K-40 Capture Electrons With Orbital Angular Momentum?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Undergrad Violation of spin conservation in pion annihilation
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
Undergrad How a particle's spin is decided?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
Graduate Relation between nuclear shape and it spin number
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
3K
Undergrad If we define the electron as an antiparticle, will there be a problem?
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
Undergrad Spin and helicity conservation in QED
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
5K
Undergrad When is weak interaction a force?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
High School Do charged particles always have spin?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
High School Electron - Up Quark Interactions
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K