Distinguishing electrons through spin

In summary: Hi, I'm sorry I'm still a bit confused about this. Does this mean that two electrons intially in different states can actually somehow switch states through scattering? Or is this because at the scattering region their wave functions are mixed so it becomes meaningless to say about which is which after leaving the scattering region?Thanks for replying!It is always meaningless to say that "this is electron A and this is electron B". Electrons are identical particles and there is no possible test you can make to check whether an electron is one or the other.If this is not the case then I actually pretty curious about how the angular momentum is tossed between the two in order to flip the spin.
  • #1
Josh1079
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0
Hi

I'm recently reading something about the moller scattering in QED, and I'm feeling a bit curious about how plane waves change their spin orientations (e.g. up to down)(I mean in the scenario that one is up and one is down). In the text it seems that it's because the electrons are indistinguishable, so it can end up in either final state. Therefore, I'm just wondering whether it is possible to distinguish the electrons through spin orientations. If this is not the case then I actually pretty curious about how the angular momentum is tossed between the two in order to flip the spin.

Thanks!
 
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  • #2
That’s not what indistinguishable means. If you would label the electrons with A and B and exchange them (put A in the state of B and vice versa) you wouldn’t see a difference - because the two electrons are exactly the same particles. Of course you can say “I use the spin up electron to do X”, but you can’t say “I use electron A” because that doesn’t mean anything.
 
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  • #3
Hi,

Sorry I'm still a bit confused about this. Does this mean that two electrons intially in different states can actually somehow switch states through scattering? Or is this because at the scattering region their wave functions are mixed so it becomes meaningless to say about which is which after leaving the scattering region?

Thanks for replying!
 
  • #4
It is always meaningless to say that "this is electron A and this is electron B". Electrons are identical particles and there is no possible test you can make to check whether an electron is one or the other.
 
  • #5
Josh1079 said:
If this is not the case then I actually pretty curious about how the angular momentum is tossed between the two in order to flip the spin.
Aren't we all... no one really knows. I agree it's not possible now, but I imagine there might be ways in the future...
 
  • #6
jerromyjon said:
Aren't we all... no one really knows. I agree it's not possible now, but I imagine there might be ways in the future...
We can test if they are exactly identical and indistinguishable. They are.
 
  • #7
jerromyjon said:
I agree it's not possible now, but I imagine there might be ways in the future...

That's simply untrue. (I note in passing you have been posting a lot of incorrect things lately. It is better to ask questions) The statistical properties of electrons are those of particles that are not distinguishable even in principle. See, for example these notes on the Gibbs Paradox.
 

Related to Distinguishing electrons through spin

What is spin in relation to electrons?

Spin refers to an intrinsic property of electrons that causes them to behave as if they are spinning on their own axis. This spin can have either an "up" or "down" orientation, which gives electrons their magnetic properties.

How is spin used to distinguish electrons?

Electrons can be distinguished through spin by using a technique called spintronics. This involves manipulating the spin of electrons to encode and process information, which is used in technologies like computer hard drives and magnetic memory devices.

What is the difference between spin and charge in electrons?

Charge and spin are both fundamental properties of electrons, but they are distinct from each other. Charge refers to the electrical charge of an electron, which determines its interaction with other charged particles. Spin, on the other hand, is an internal property that affects the behavior of electrons in magnetic fields.

Can electrons have more than two spin states?

No, electrons can only have two spin states: "up" or "down". This is known as the Pauli exclusion principle, which states that no two electrons can share the same quantum state. Therefore, electrons can only have one of two possible spin orientations.

What practical applications does distinguishing electrons through spin have?

Distinguishing electrons through spin has many practical applications, such as in spintronics, quantum computing, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology. It also has potential uses in developing more efficient and powerful electronic devices in the future.

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