Does the hydrogen atom have a spin?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of spin in the context of the hydrogen atom, specifically questioning whether the hydrogen atom possesses spin given its constituent particles: a proton and an electron, both of which have spin 1/2.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the nature of spin as an intrinsic property of subatomic particles, questioning how the spins of the proton and electron contribute to the overall spin of the hydrogen atom. There are inquiries about the role of quarks in the spin of protons and neutrons, as well as the implications for the spin of deuterons.

Discussion Status

The discussion includes various perspectives on the nature of spin and its implications for atomic structure. Some participants provide insights into the differences between protons and neutrons, while others question the assumptions regarding the addition of spins in composite particles. There is no explicit consensus, but productive lines of inquiry are being explored.

Contextual Notes

Participants are navigating the complexities of intrinsic properties of particles and the implications of quark composition on spin. The discussion is framed within the context of fundamental particle physics and may involve assumptions about the nature of atomic structure.

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does the hydrogen atom have a spin?

since it has a proton (spin 1/2) and an electron (spin 1/2) then does they hydrogen atom have spin 1?
 
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I'm afraid it doesn't work like that. While hydrogen is indeed made of a proton and an electron it does not have a spin. The reason for this is that spin is an intrinsic property of sub atomic particles. So even though the proton and electron come together, sort of, to form an atom their intrinsic properties remain there own. On that note; remember that spin has direction associated with it i.e. if the proton were spin up + the electron spin down, then the hydrogen would have no or zero spin. See the discontinuity. If hydrogen had spin it could only have one magnitude.If you want to learn more check out the web for or wikipedia "The Standard Model".
 


so protons have spin 1/2, however it is no fundamental like the electron. it has quarks. do quarks contain the intrinsic properties of spin (which projects/adds up to give the proton of spin 1/2)?

also what about deuteron? it has spin 1 but it's the addition of the proton and neutron spins?
 


Yes, everything changes when you start adding quarks, which do have spin. What essentially makes a proton different from a neutron is the charge and the spin, or more precisely the quarks that make up each. Since Quarks are the fundamental components of both protons and neutrons their spins can be added. The quarks involved in both are the flavors up and down. Up quarks have a spin of 1/2 up and a fractional charge of +2/3, while down quarks have a spin 1/2 down and a fractional charge of -1/3. A proton is formed from three quarks two up and one down, similarly a neutron is formed of two down and one up. A deuteron or for that matter any nucleon can have spin because you are just adding quarks. Also, quarks are held together by the strong force which has associated with gluon particles. If you want to learn more look up Quantum Chromodynamics or wikipedia quarks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Quark_structure_proton.svg
 
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