Electrons Spinning: Energy Release, Kinetic Transfer & Radiation

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    Electrons Spin
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the behavior of electrons, particularly their spin, energy release, and the implications of these properties in the context of friction and heat generation. Participants explore concepts related to quantum mechanics, electron orbitals, and the nature of energy transfer in materials.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that electrons release energy as photons when they interact with other particles, raising questions about the nature of this energy release and the wavelengths of emitted radiation.
  • Another participant challenges the initial explanation, stating that electrons are bound to atoms and can only gain energy through specific quantum transitions, which may not occur due to friction.
  • A participant expresses frustration with the complexity of the responses and requests a simpler explanation of electron spin and orbitals.
  • One participant describes orbitals as regions where electrons can exist at specific energy levels and compares electron spin to a small permanent magnet, clarifying that electrons do not literally spin on themselves.
  • Another participant suggests that the nature of electron spin and orbitals is fundamentally mysterious, reflecting the complexities of quantum mechanics.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants exhibit a range of views on the nature of electron behavior, energy transfer, and the explanations provided. There is no consensus on the best way to simplify or clarify these concepts, and some participants express disagreement regarding the accuracy of initial claims.

Contextual Notes

Some discussions involve assumptions about the audience's background knowledge, which may not align with the participants' actual understanding. The complexity of quantum mechanics and the nature of electron behavior are acknowledged as challenging topics.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to individuals exploring quantum mechanics, particularly those seeking to understand electron behavior, energy transfer, and the conceptual challenges associated with these topics.

Biologik
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As the electrons in my...shirt spin, they are doing these things
1.Releasing energy in the form of Photons as they come in contact with other particles
2.As I move on my chair, the energy made from the kinetic energy transfers energy from the chair to my pants and vice-versa, thus
3.The Electrons in my pants and chair gain energy and(this is where I get stuck, what exactly is happening to the Electrons at this point?)
4.The electrons release the extra energy in the form of radiation (what determines the wavelengths of the radiation it emits? e.g What determines of my pants electrons release energy in the form of Gamma rays or Microwaves)
5.Nerve receptors in my skin pick up this energy and a signal is sent to my brain to feel heat.
 
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Hi Biologik,

If I interpret your question correctly, you are asking how friction generates heat you can feel. Is that right?

If so, then I'm afraid there are a few problems with your explanation! So, all the electrons in your clothes and your chair will be bound to atoms. Quantum mechanics tells us that these electrons can only have certain energies when bound in such a way. If given enough energy, the electrons can jump up one or more levels, and then release the energy again as one or more photons as they return to the ground state (lowest energy level). These transitions give rise to absorption/emission spectra - it is, for example, why sodium lamps look yellow.

Now in this case, it is highly unlikely that the electrons will be excited up an energy level by friction. Instead, the atoms as a whole are gaining kinetic energy as the materials rub against each other. They move around, but keep bumping into each other so that whilst they have a reasonable amount of energy overall, they aren't going anywhere. This random motion is the definition of heat, which is conducted into your skin (the jiggling motion propagates through the fabric), and is detected by your nerves.
 
As the electrons spin inside Biologik he's:
1) Posting a thread asking questions
2) Ignoring the answers
3) Posting another thread containing the same misconceptions.

Why bother answering?
 
Need this simplified.

These people obviously think I'm in college. Maybe they even think I'm in high school. Well I'm not in either, you do the thinking. Someone simplify this for me.

The electron's spin can point in different directions but never changes in total amount. It always must have exactly 1/2 unit.

Electron orbitals contain "motion" that is, to continue the analogy, like the Earth's movement around the sun. Available orbitals have differing amounts of angular momentum, but also many orbitals in one "shell" have the same total angular momentum but arrange it differently.


Basically I am asking for someone to explain to me how electrons spin and what the orbitals actually are.
 


An orbital is a region in space (near an atom), where the electron can be when it has a specific energy.

Besides that, you can view each electron as a small permanent magnet, it has some kind of a north pole and a south pole. This magnetic property is called "spin", because if a charged ball was spinning, it would also behave as a magnet. The electron however, isn't really spinning on itself.
 
Biologik, perhaps someone will recommend a good book at that level, or post a link to a web page. Without specific suggestions, you need to just read books and keep at it until it makes some sense. Many "popular" books go over the basic principles of QM.

Off the top of my head, you might try the "Mr. Tompkins" adventures, either the original or modernized version. I also suggest "QED" by Feynman, though it is not specific for spin.
 


Biologik said:
These people obviously think I'm in college. Maybe they even think I'm in high school. Well I'm not in either, you do the thinking. Someone simplify this for me.

The electron's spin can point in different directions but never changes in total amount. It always must have exactly 1/2 unit.

Electron orbitals contain "motion" that is, to continue the analogy, like the Earth's movement around the sun. Available orbitals have differing amounts of angular momentum, but also many orbitals in one "shell" have the same total angular momentum but arrange it differently.


Basically I am asking for someone to explain to me how electrons spin and what the orbitals actually are.


Biologik, there really is no simple common sense answer. Its a mystery. Thats why quantum mechanics is so weird
 

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