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Ryan Reed
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In the stern-gerlach experiment, silver atoms with a +1/2 would be deflected up, and atoms with a -1/2 spin would be deflected down. With that in mind, would electrons' orbitals within an atom be affected by its spin?
It's more accurate to say those numbers as the electron spin projection in a given direction, or the eigenvalues of operator ##S_z##.Ryan Reed said:An electron's spin can either be either +1/2 or -1/2, that's what the stern-gerlach experiment tested.
it really depends on the system, if the Ag atom is isolated its orbital won't be effected by the sign of the z component of the spin. However, as pointed out in comment #2, if there is external magnetic field, the energy levels are no longer degenerate in ##m_j##'s, rather it will split into different energy levels.Ryan Reed said:And if so, wouldn't the electron orbitals differ depending on the sign of the spin?
Electron spin is a fundamental property of an electron that describes its angular momentum and orientation in space. It is one of the four quantum numbers used to describe an electron's energy state in an atom.
Electron spin is the basis for magnetism in atoms. The spinning motion of electrons creates a tiny magnetic field, which can interact with other magnetic fields to create the macroscopic magnetism we observe in objects.
Yes, electron spin can change through interactions with other particles or fields. For example, when an electron is excited to a higher energy level, its spin can change. In addition, certain particles, such as photons, can flip the spin of an electron.
Electron spin can be measured using a technique called electron spin resonance (ESR). This involves applying a magnetic field to a sample and observing how the electrons interact with the field, which can reveal information about their spin.
Electron spin plays a crucial role in both chemistry and physics. In chemistry, it determines the magnetic properties of molecules and can affect chemical reactions. In physics, it is important for understanding quantum mechanics and the behavior of particles in magnetic fields.