Paired electrons in a magnetic field

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the behavior of paired electrons in a homogeneous magnetic field, particularly in the context of substances containing bonded electrons, such as biological organs. Participants explore concepts related to electron pairing, magnetic resonance, and the implications of magnetic fields on electron behavior.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether paired electrons would align with a magnetic field, expressing confusion about the nature of electron pairs and the Pauli exclusion principle.
  • Another participant asserts that paired electrons have a net orientation of zero in the same energy state, but can align when separated and measured.
  • A different participant speculates on the absorption of energy by paired electrons during magnetic resonance, suggesting they might absorb more energy than unpaired electrons with different resonation frequencies.
  • In contrast, another participant argues that paired electrons do not respond to magnetic fields and questions the relevance of resonance in this context.
  • One participant clarifies the ambiguity of the term "pair," referencing Cooper pairs in superconductors and discussing conditions under which pairs can be broken by strong magnetic fields, including the concept of orbital pair breaking.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the behavior of paired electrons in magnetic fields, with no consensus reached on their alignment or response to magnetic resonance. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the implications of magnetic fields on paired electrons.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight various assumptions about electron pairing and the effects of magnetic fields, including the need for clarification on definitions and the conditions under which electron pairs may be affected.

anorred
Messages
58
Reaction score
0
What would happen if you place a substance containing bonded and paired electrons, such as a biological organ, and place that substance in a homogenous magnetic field? Would the electrons align with the field?

I'm a little confused by what an electron pair is. I pretty much know the pauli exlusion principle, but maybe I'm not interpreting it correctly. I'm an engineer, not a physicist, so please educate me!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
As long as they are paired in the same energy state, their net orientation is always zero. If you break them up and measure their orientation, you'll find it aligned with the magnetic field.
 
Alright. So let's say you use magnetic resonance on paired electrons with EM waves. Do you think they would absorb energy more than other electrons that have a different resonation frequency? I know you wouldn't be able to image/read paired electrons signals because they would cancel out, but I'm just wondering if they would absorb more energy.
 
Paired electrons don't care about magnetic fields, and I don't see where you see a resonance or any reaction at all.
 
I think the word "pair" is a bit ambigous. Normally, when people talk about electron pairs they mean something like Cooper pairs in superconductors. In this case you can certainly break the pair with a height enough field; the spin-pair breaking field is reached when the Zeeman energy is equal to the pairing energy of the electron.
In addition to this you can also have orbital pair breaking, where the Lortentz force separats the electrons until the pair splits, the electrons will always move in opposite directions since they have opposite spins.
 
Great answers thank you very much!
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 36 ·
2
Replies
36
Views
9K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
3K