Exploring the Magnetic Moment of Point Charges

[sudabe]

why we take electrons as point particles? just because of its magnetic moment?
maybe there is something wrong with the idea of the magnetic moment of a point charge.
i appreciate if you help.

 

[jtbell]

So far, we have no experimental evidence (from high-energy scattering experiments, for example) that electrons have structure or a finite size. All we can do so far is find upper limits on the size of an electron.

For example, see http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-ph/0002172 which uses an experiment at LEP to set an upper limit of about $10^{-19}$ m for the electron radius. (That doesn't mean that they actually found such a size, it just means that if the electron has a size, it must be smaller than that or else they would have "seen" it.)

 

[denian]

I can understand your confusion about why we consider electrons as point particles when exploring their magnetic moment. However, it is important to note that the concept of a point charge is a simplification used in many areas of physics, including electromagnetism. In reality, electrons do have a finite size and structure, but for the purpose of understanding their behavior in magnetic fields, treating them as point particles is a useful approximation.

The magnetic moment of a point charge is a fundamental property that arises from the spin and orbital motion of the electron. While there may be some limitations to this concept, it has been extensively studied and has been shown to accurately describe the behavior of electrons in magnetic fields. Additionally, the concept of a point charge has been validated through various experiments and theoretical calculations.

It is important to keep in mind that in science, we often use simplified models to understand complex phenomena. These models may not fully capture all aspects of the system, but they allow us to make predictions and further our understanding. As we continue to advance in our understanding of electrons and their magnetic properties, we may discover new information that challenges the concept of a point charge. However, for now, it remains a useful tool in exploring the magnetic moment of electrons.