What Happens to Orbital and Spin Momentum of Free Electrons in Iron?

In summary, the conversation discusses the theory of magnetism in iron and the confusion surrounding the behavior of free valence electrons in the metal. It is explained that these electrons are not bound to a specific atom, but rather are attracted and repelled by the ions and other free electrons in the metal. This behavior is compared to molecules in a gas. The question of how this affects the orbital and spin magnetic moment and how iron maintains its magnetic properties is raised.
  • #1
cronnin
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Theory explains magnetism in iron as a combined effect of magnetic moments of electrons. Now, what is confusing me is that valence electrons in iron are supposed to be free. The valence band and conduction band overlap. So, what kind of orbital and spin-ular momentum do these free electrons actually have? I may also ask, what does it mean to be free? When the current flows through the iron plate, do these electrons leave their atoms and wander around, settling with another nucleus?
 
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  • #2
cronnin said:
settling with another nucleus
They are more free than that. They have no 'parent' atom at all. they are just held inside the whole mass of the metal and located (roughly) by the attraction of the +ions and the repulsion of the other free -electrons. It's analogous to the molecules of a gas in a box.
 
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  • #3
So what happens with orbital and spin magnetic moment? How does iron stay magnetic if all valence electrons roam free without unified momentum?
 

1. What are electrons?

Electrons are subatomic particles that have a negative charge and are found orbiting the nucleus of an atom. They are responsible for the flow of electricity and play a crucial role in chemical reactions.

2. How do electrons create magnetism?

Electrons have a property called spin, which is a form of intrinsic angular momentum. When electrons with aligned spin are present in a material, they create a magnetic field. This is the basis for all types of magnetism.

3. What is the difference between paramagnetism and diamagnetism?

Paramagnetism is a type of magnetism where materials are weakly attracted to a magnetic field, due to having unpaired electrons with aligned spins. Diamagnetism, on the other hand, is a weak repulsion to a magnetic field and is caused by the motion of electrons in an external magnetic field.

4. Can electrons have a spin other than "up" or "down"?

No, according to the Pauli exclusion principle, each electron can only have one of two spin states, commonly referred to as "up" or "down". This means that electrons cannot have a spin other than these two options.

5. How do electrons' spin states affect their behavior in a magnetic field?

The spin of an electron determines its orientation in a magnetic field. Electrons with parallel spin orientations will have lower energy levels, while those with antiparallel spin orientations will have higher energy levels. This leads to different behaviors, such as the attraction or repulsion to a magnetic field, depending on the spin orientation of the electrons.

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