Exploring Electron Spin: Measuring and Observing Spin Effects in Pairs

[espen180]

I read that you can't directly measurethe direction of spinfor asingleelectron, but you can preforman experiment to see if two electrons are "spinning the same way" or "opposite ways". I know electron spin isn't like normal spinning.

Let's say we have two pairs of electrons, each pair close together. One pair spins the same way, the other opposite ways. What will each pair of electrons do? How is spin measured this way?

 

[Matterwave]

You in fact can measure the "direction" of spin for a single electron. That's what the Stern-Gerlach experiment is about. But note that it's only the projection of the spin of the electron onto your axis that you can measure (either +1/2 or -1/2). You can, in fact, never align your axis with the actual direction of spin of the electron, since the electron doesn't have an actual direction of spin.

 

[Entropia]

I find this topic of exploring electron spin to be incredibly fascinating. It is true that the direction of spin cannot be directly measured for a single electron, but through experiments such as the one you mentioned, we can observe the effects of spin in pairs of electrons.

In this experiment, we would expect to see different behaviors from the two pairs of electrons. The pair spinning in the same direction would exhibit a stronger magnetic force, while the pair spinning in opposite directions would cancel out their magnetic fields and have a weaker overall force. This is due to the fact that electron spin is not like normal spinning, as you mentioned, but rather a quantum property that affects the behavior of electrons.

To measure spin in this way, we would use tools such as a magnetic field detector or a spin filter, which can detect the strength and direction of magnetic fields. By observing the behavior of the two pairs of electrons in these tools, we can indirectly measure their spin and confirm whether they are spinning in the same or opposite directions.

This type of experiment is crucial in understanding the fundamental properties of electrons and how they interact with each other. It also has practical applications in fields such as quantum computing, where the manipulation of electron spin is essential for information processing.

Overall, exploring electron spin and its effects on pairs of electrons is a complex and intriguing area of study. By continuously conducting experiments and advancing our understanding, we can gain valuable insights into the mysterious world of quantum mechanics.