What Is Particle Spin in Physics?

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In summary, spin is a property of particles that describes their symmetry under rotation. Particles with spin s require a rotation of 360/s degrees to look the same, while particles with spin 1/2 require a full rotation of 720 degrees. In space with no direction, the direction of spin is undefined and it is not possible to measure an angle there.
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EIRE2003
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Hey I am new to this and I am studing physics on my own and I am just wondering wat Spin actually is? is it when a particle such as a gluon is in a spin, in motion wit atomic geometry?
 
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One way to think about spin is the following: when a particle has spin [itex]s[/itex], that means that when you rotate the particle over [itex]360/s[/itex] degrees the particle will look the same. So, spin 1 particles have to be rotated 360 degrees, but spin 2 particles have a higher symmetry and need only to be rotated over 180 degrees. Interestingly, there are also particles with spin 1/2 (such as the electron). That means that they do not look the same when you rotate them over 360 degrees! Only when rotated over twice 360 degrees will such a particle look the same. Quantum-fun...
 
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  • #3
Which direction will the spin be in space where there is no direction.
how will you measure an angle there?

-benzun
 

1. What is spin physics?

Spin physics is a field of physics that studies the intrinsic angular momentum of subatomic particles such as electrons, protons, and neutrons. It is also known as "spintronics" or "spin-based electronics" and plays a crucial role in modern technology such as computer hard drives and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

2. How does spin relate to angular momentum?

In classical physics, angular momentum refers to the rotation of an object around an axis. In quantum mechanics, spin is a type of angular momentum that describes the intrinsic property of particles to have a specific orientation in space. This orientation can be either "spin up" or "spin down" and is measured in units of ħ (Planck's constant divided by 2π).

3. Can spin be observed directly?

No, spin cannot be observed directly. It is a quantum mechanical property and can only be measured indirectly through its effects on other physical quantities such as magnetic fields or energy levels. However, the predictions based on the concept of spin have been confirmed by numerous experiments, validating its existence.

4. How does spin affect the behavior of particles?

Spin plays a crucial role in determining the behavior of particles. It affects their interactions with each other and with external fields, and can even determine their stability. For example, particles with half-integer spin (such as electrons) follow the rules of Fermi-Dirac statistics, while particles with integer spin (such as photons) follow the rules of Bose-Einstein statistics.

5. What are some practical applications of spin physics?

Spin physics has numerous practical applications, especially in the field of spintronics. It is used in various electronic devices, such as computer hard drives, to store and process information. Spintronics also has potential applications in quantum computing, which could revolutionize data processing and storage. Additionally, spin physics plays a crucial role in medical imaging techniques such as MRI, which uses the spin of protons to create detailed images of the human body.

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