Why a particle with spin=0 can't posses a magnetic dipole moment?

  • #1
happyparticle
373
19
Homework Statement:
Why a particle with spin=0 can't posses a dipole moment?
Relevant Equations:
##\langle j'|| \vec{J}|| j \rangle = \hbar \sqrt{j(j+1)} \delta_{jj'}##
Hi,
I would like to know why a particle with spin=0 can't posses a magnetic dipole moment?

Using Wigner-Eckart theorem for ##\langle j,1,m,0|j,m \rangle## I get ##\langle j'|| \vec{J}|| j \rangle = \hbar \sqrt{j(j+1)} \delta_{jj'}##

It seems like the right hand side is the magnetic dipole moment. Thus, j must be 0 for a particle with spin =0.

However, I'm not so sure to understand what j means.
I'll try to explain what I understand.
##\vec{J}## is the total angular momentum and ##\vec{J} = \vec{L} + \vec{S}##, where ##\vec{S}## is the spin.
Furthermore, we have 2 systems (2 particles) ##\langle j'|| \vec{J}|| j \rangle = \hbar \sqrt{j(j+1)} \delta_{jj'}##
where ##j_1 = j, j_2 = 1 , m_1 = m, m_2 =0## and ##j = j_1 + j_2, m = m_1 + m_2##

Are ##j_1, j_2## the total angular momentums for each particle and what exactly are ## m_1, m_2##? Are they quantum number ##m_s## ?

If the spin of the particle is null then ##\vec{S} = 0## which mean ##\vec{J} = \vec{L}##

This is all I know. I can't show that j=0.

I hope this is clear...

thank you
 

Answers and Replies

  • #2
topsquark
Science Advisor
Insights Author
Gold Member
MHB
1,844
810
Homework Statement:: Why a particle with spin=0 can't posses a dipole moment?
Relevant Equations:: ##\langle j'|| \vec{J}|| j \rangle = \hbar \sqrt{j(j+1)} \delta_{jj'}##

Hi,
I would like to know why a particle with spin=0 can't posses a magnetic dipole moment?

Using Wigner-Eckart theorem for ##\langle j,1,m,0|j,m \rangle## I get ##\langle j'|| \vec{J}|| j \rangle = \hbar \sqrt{j(j+1)} \delta_{jj'}##

It seems like the right hand side is the magnetic dipole moment. Thus, j must be 0 for a particle with spin =0.

However, I'm not so sure to understand what j means.
I'll try to explain what I understand.
##\vec{J}## is the total angular momentum and ##\vec{J} = \vec{L} + \vec{S}##, where ##\vec{S}## is the spin.
Furthermore, we have 2 systems (2 particles) ##\langle j'|| \vec{J}|| j \rangle = \hbar \sqrt{j(j+1)} \delta_{jj'}##
where ##j_1 = j, j_2 = 1 , m_1 = m, m_2 =0## and ##j = j_1 + j_2, m = m_1 + m_2##

Are ##j_1, j_2## the total angular momentums for each particle and what exactly are ## m_1, m_2##? Are they quantum number ##m_s## ?

If the spin of the particle is null then ##\vec{S} = 0## which mean ##\vec{J} = \vec{L}##

This is all I know. I can't show that j=0.

I hope this is clear...

thank you
Who told you that a spin 0 particle could not have a magnetic moment? It cannot have a spin magnetic moment (intrinsic magnetic moment) but, as you showed above, it can have an orbital magnetic moment.

-Dan
 
  • Like
Likes happyparticle, PeroK, vanhees71 and 1 other person
  • #3
happyparticle
373
19
Why exactly it cannot have a spin magnetic moment?

Can I show it from ##
\langle j'|| \vec{J}|| j \rangle = \hbar \sqrt{j(j+1)} \delta_{jj'}
## ?
 
  • #4
topsquark
Science Advisor
Insights Author
Gold Member
MHB
1,844
810
Why exactly it cannot have a spin magnetic moment?

Can I show it from ##
\langle j'|| \vec{J}|| j \rangle = \hbar \sqrt{j(j+1)} \delta_{jj'}
## ?
Because s = 0...

-Dan
 
  • #5
happyparticle
373
19
I mean, is it a relationship between s and j ?
 
  • #6
PeroK
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
Insights Author
Gold Member
2022 Award
24,046
15,749
  • Like
Likes happyparticle and topsquark
  • #7
topsquark
Science Advisor
Insights Author
Gold Member
MHB
1,844
810
I mean, is it a relationship between s and j ?
The spin magnetic moment of a particle is given by
##\boldsymbol{ \mu } = g \dfrac{e}{2 m} \textbf{S}##

If s = 0 then ##\boldsymbol{ \mu } \mid \psi \rangle = g \dfrac{e}{2 m} \textbf{S} \mid \psi \rangle = \textbf{0} \mid \psi \rangle##

-Dan
 
  • Like
Likes happyparticle and DrClaude
  • #8
happyparticle
373
19
Ah I see. I thought that S was the eigenvector and the eigenvalue wasn't necessarily s. thus if s=0 then S wasn't necessarily 0. I think that as usual I had misunderstood.
Thank you
 
  • #9
PeroK
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
Insights Author
Gold Member
2022 Award
24,046
15,749
Ah I see. I thought that S was the eigenvector and the eigenvalue wasn't necessarily s. thus if s=0 then S wasn't necessarily 0. I think that as usual I had misunderstood.
Thank you
I can't make any sense of this. Are you sure you understand the concepts of operators, eigenvectors and eigenvalues.
 
  • Like
Likes malawi_glenn
  • #10
happyparticle
373
19
I thought so, but now you make me doubt.
 
  • #11
malawi_glenn
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
Gold Member
2022 Award
6,374
1,967
I mean, is it a relationship between s and j ?
You wrote it in the original post
 
  • Like
Likes topsquark
  • #12
happyparticle
373
19
You wrote it in the original post
I was replying to topsquark. I meant if s = 0 why j is automatically 0, that kind of relation.
 
  • #13
topsquark
Science Advisor
Insights Author
Gold Member
MHB
1,844
810
I was replying to topsquark. I meant if s = 0 why j is automatically 0, that kind of relation.
I never said j = 0 because s = 0. j = l + s. If s = 0 then j = l. If l is not zero then the state has an angular magnetic moment, just not a spin angular magnetic moment. Only if j = 0 does the state have no angular magnetic moment.

-Dan
 
  • Like
Likes Greg Bernhardt and malawi_glenn
  • #14
kuruman
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
Insights Author
Gold Member
12,853
6,059
I would like to know why a particle with spin=0 can't posses a magnetic dipole moment?
When I first saw this question, I thought it was about a free particle with zero spin. Then @happyparticle brought in the Wigner-Eckart theorem stated talking about orbital angular momentum. Orbital angular momentum presupposes a nucleus which the supposedly zero-spin particle must be orbiting. ##\mathbf{S}## as in ##\mathbf{J}=\mathbf{L}+\mathbf{S}## is the total spin in a many-electron atom and ##\mathbf{S}=0## has nothing to do with a particle with spin = 0 in the original question.

I think the simplest answer to the original question is that spin is an intrinsic property of particles and so is the magnetic moment associated with the spin of the particle. Asking why a particle with zero spin has no magnetic moment is like asking why a bald man has no hair on his head.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Likes topsquark and phinds
  • #15
Vanadium 50
Staff Emeritus
Science Advisor
Education Advisor
29,948
15,645
Tell me. If S=0, in what direction does the magnetic moment point?
 
  • Like
Likes topsquark
  • #16
kuruman
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
Insights Author
Gold Member
12,853
6,059
Tell me. If S=0, in what direction does the magnetic moment point?
If a man is bald, what color is his hair?
 
  • Haha
Likes malawi_glenn
  • #18
jim mcnamara
Mentor
4,702
3,653
Something is fishy here. Let's lock the thread for a while until the smell dissipates....
 
  • Like
Likes phinds, kuruman and topsquark
Top