I A Question on Spinors in a High school textbook

AI Thread Summary
Spinors are mathematical objects used in physics, particularly in quantum mechanics and relativity, to describe the state of particles with intrinsic angular momentum, or spin. They differ from traditional vectors in that they require a more complex framework for their representation, often involving multi-dimensional spaces. The discussion highlights a specific question related to spinors, emphasizing the need for a clear and comprehensible definition suitable for high school students. Visual aids, such as diagrams or gifs, can enhance understanding by illustrating how spinors operate in relation to other physical concepts. Overall, the inquiry seeks to demystify spinors and make the topic accessible to learners at an introductory level.
Falgun
Messages
77
Reaction score
45
TL;DR Summary
Question from Resnick Halliday Krane Chapter 8: Rotational kinematics
While revising Rotational motion, I came across a qualitative question which blew me away. Meaning I couldn't even understand the question let alone answer it😅. It has to do with these objects called spinors which as I understand are evoked in quantum mechanics and Relativity. I am attaching the question so kindly go through it. It would be really helpful if you could give me a rough idea of what spinors are. If you could throw in a visualisation or gif then even better. It's question no. 9 .
 

Attachments

  • 16385085644098893190043023343324.jpg
    16385085644098893190043023343324.jpg
    70.9 KB · Views: 121
  • 16385086284504281185731399793704.jpg
    16385086284504281185731399793704.jpg
    36.6 KB · Views: 134
Physics news on Phys.org
The spinor in tnis case is shown in the diagram. It's not directly related to QM.
 
So what exactly is a spinor? Like can you give me a definition which would be comprehensible to me at this stage?
 
Falgun said:
So what exactly is a spinor? Like can you give me a definition which would be comprehensible to me at this stage?
The problem deals with the object in diagram 8-13. For the purposes of this exercise, that is the definition of a spinor.
 
Consider an extremely long and perfectly calibrated scale. A car with a mass of 1000 kg is placed on it, and the scale registers this weight accurately. Now, suppose the car begins to move, reaching very high speeds. Neglecting air resistance and rolling friction, if the car attains, for example, a velocity of 500 km/h, will the scale still indicate a weight corresponding to 1000 kg, or will the measured value decrease as a result of the motion? In a second scenario, imagine a person with a...
Scalar and vector potentials in Coulomb gauge Assume Coulomb gauge so that $$\nabla \cdot \mathbf{A}=0.\tag{1}$$ The scalar potential ##\phi## is described by Poisson's equation $$\nabla^2 \phi = -\frac{\rho}{\varepsilon_0}\tag{2}$$ which has the instantaneous general solution given by $$\phi(\mathbf{r},t)=\frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0}\int \frac{\rho(\mathbf{r}',t)}{|\mathbf{r}-\mathbf{r}'|}d^3r'.\tag{3}$$ In Coulomb gauge the vector potential ##\mathbf{A}## is given by...
Dear all, in an encounter of an infamous claim by Gerlich and Tscheuschner that the Greenhouse effect is inconsistent with the 2nd law of thermodynamics I came to a simple thought experiment which I wanted to share with you to check my understanding and brush up my knowledge. The thought experiment I tried to calculate through is as follows. I have a sphere (1) with radius ##r##, acting like a black body at a temperature of exactly ##T_1 = 500 K##. With Stefan-Boltzmann you can calculate...

Similar threads

Back
Top