- #1
erok81
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I have a couple questions related to different energy levels and spin. Our professor taught us one way and the TA a different in our review session. We tried to hash it out in class but had to move on. I suspect both the TA and prof were talking about different things - or maybe stuff we won't learn until a higher level quantum class (I think this is the case). Anyway...
The professor version:
Bosons can all occupy the same ground state. i.e. you have ten bosons all ten can fit in n=1 since the exclusion principle doesn't apply to bosons. Thus you'd have E=10E0.
Fermions adhere to the exclusion principle. Spin-1/2 can only have two per energy level, spin-3/2 four per level, etc.
TA version:
He brought up 2S+1. With this he said it applies to all particles - bosons and fermions. So something with spin-1 can only have 2(1)+1 = 3 per level. This goes against what we learned from the professor. Then the TA mentioned that maybe we only deal with relativistic particles and the 2S+1 doesn't apply.
I can see 2S+1 being used to find out how many possible spin configurations there are, but it breaks down trying to use it on bosons when filling energy levels.
So...what is this 2S+1 used for? Are both people correct?
The professor version:
Bosons can all occupy the same ground state. i.e. you have ten bosons all ten can fit in n=1 since the exclusion principle doesn't apply to bosons. Thus you'd have E=10E0.
Fermions adhere to the exclusion principle. Spin-1/2 can only have two per energy level, spin-3/2 four per level, etc.
TA version:
He brought up 2S+1. With this he said it applies to all particles - bosons and fermions. So something with spin-1 can only have 2(1)+1 = 3 per level. This goes against what we learned from the professor. Then the TA mentioned that maybe we only deal with relativistic particles and the 2S+1 doesn't apply.
I can see 2S+1 being used to find out how many possible spin configurations there are, but it breaks down trying to use it on bosons when filling energy levels.
So...what is this 2S+1 used for? Are both people correct?