Why Can't Photons Have a Spin of 0 Like Gravitons?

In summary, the graviton has a spin of 2 and can take possible spins of -2, -1, 0, 1, and 2. This is different from the photon, which has a spin of 1 but can only take spins of -1 and 1. This is due to the properties of the P-F field and the representation of the Poincare group.
  • #1
touqra
287
0
The graviton has a spin of 2. So, that means the graviton can take possible spins: -2, -1, 0, 1, 2 ? Just want to make sure since, for a photon, even if it's spin 1, it can only take two possibilities, i.e. -1 and +1. 0 is not allowed.
 
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  • #2
Well, not really. The P-F field has 2 degrees of freedom in 4 space-time dimensions and thus the eigenvalues for the helicity operarator are only +2 and -2.

Daniel.
 
  • #3
touqra said:
The graviton has a spin of 2. So, that means the graviton can take possible spins: -2, -1, 0, 1, 2 ? Just want to make sure since, for a photon, even if it's spin 1, it can only take two possibilities, i.e. -1 and +1. 0 is not allowed.

Do you know why the 0 is not allowed for photon? For similar reason the
(-1,0,1) are not allowed for graviton.(massles field,Traceless 2nd rank symmetric tensor rep of Poincare group).


regards

sam
 

What is a graviton and why does it have a spin of 2?

A graviton is a theoretical particle that is thought to be responsible for the force of gravity. It has a spin of 2 because it is a boson, which means it has integer spin, and the spin of a particle is related to the way it carries and transfers energy.

How does the spin of a graviton affect its interactions with other particles?

The spin of a graviton affects its interactions with other particles in several ways. For example, the spin determines the strength of the gravitational force between two objects, as well as the range of that force. Additionally, the spin of a graviton determines how it interacts with other particles, such as whether it can be absorbed or scattered by them.

Is the spin of a graviton experimentally confirmed?

At this time, the existence of gravitons and their spin are still theoretical. While there is strong evidence for the existence of gravitational waves, which are thought to be caused by the interaction of massless gravitons, direct observation and confirmation of their spin has yet to be achieved.

Could the spin of a graviton be different than 2?

The spin of a graviton is predicted to be 2 according to current theories, such as general relativity and quantum field theory. However, some theories propose alternative spin values for gravitons, such as 0 or 1. While these theories are still being explored and tested, the spin of 2 remains the most widely accepted and supported value for the graviton.

How does the spin of a graviton relate to the concept of spin in quantum mechanics?

The concept of spin in quantum mechanics is different from the spin of a graviton. In quantum mechanics, spin refers to a fundamental property of particles, similar to mass or charge. It is a measure of the intrinsic angular momentum of a particle. The spin of a graviton, on the other hand, is a measure of its energy carrying ability and is related to the way it interacts with other particles.

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