Do charged particles always have spin?

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

Charged particles do not always have spin, as evidenced by charged pions which possess an electric charge but have a total angular momentum of J=0. While all known charged elementary particles exhibit spin, the Higgs boson remains the only confirmed spin-0 particle. Additionally, uncharged particles such as neutrinos and photons possess spin, demonstrating that charge and spin are not inherently linked. This distinction is crucial for understanding particle physics and the properties of fundamental particles.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of elementary particle physics
  • Familiarity with quantum mechanics concepts
  • Knowledge of particle classification (charged vs. uncharged)
  • Basic grasp of angular momentum in quantum systems
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the properties of the Higgs boson and its implications in particle physics
  • Explore the role of neutrinos in the Standard Model of particle physics
  • Study the characteristics of gauge bosons, including Z-bosons and gluons
  • Investigate the relationship between charge and spin in quantum field theory
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, students of quantum mechanics, and anyone interested in the fundamental properties of particles and their interactions.

synch
Messages
84
Reaction score
11
(Apologies for a basic question) Do charged particles always have spin ? Maybe a better question is, are charge and spin always associated ?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Charged pions have an electric charge but J=0.

All charged elementary particles we know have a spin - because the (uncharged) Higgs boson is the only spin 0 particle we know.
We know uncharged elementary particles with spin - neutrinos.
 
Reply
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: ohwilleke, vanhees71 and synch
mfb said:
We know uncharged elementary particles with spin - neutrinos.
And photons!
And Z-bosons.

Gluons are also electrically uncharged but carry color charge.
 
Reply
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: ohwilleke, vanhees71, mfb and 1 other person
Thanks !
 

Similar threads

Undergrad Violation of spin conservation in pion annihilation
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
Graduate Relation between nuclear shape and it spin number
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
3K
Graduate Why do the proton and electron have equal and opposite electric charge?
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
4K
Undergrad Why do all fermions have the same spin 1/2?
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
4K
High School Conservation of charge in a nuclear reaction
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
3K
Undergrad Best way to focus charged particles back to their source?
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
1K
Undergrad How do you get polarized charged particles?
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
2K
High School A doubt on the fundamental unit of charge
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
High School How does the LHC send same charged particles against each other?
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
2K
Graduate What are Z+, Z-, N+, and N- in the Axial Charge Definition?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K