Understanding Electron Spin and its Role in Atomic Structure

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In summary, the electron spins around its own axis because it doesn't have an axis to spin around, and it's responsible for magnetism.
  • #1
thunderhadron
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Hi friends I've a big andu here.
Electron revolts around the nucleus in the circular path. Its due to the force between them.
Why the electron spins around its own axis?
 
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  • #2
thunderhadron said:
Electron revolts around the nucleus in the circular path. Its due to the force between them.
Why the electron spins around its own axis?

Although a bound electron has both spin and orbital angular momentum, it neither travels in a circular path around the nucleus nor spins around its own axis (for that matter, it doesn't even have an axis to spin around).

If you want to know about the spin and orbital angular momentum of an electron, you have to use the quantum mechanical formalism and go with the answers that formalism produces; there is nothing more there, at least that we've been able to find in the last century of looking.
 
  • #3
"Why the electron spins around its own axis?"
If you are looking for an underlying "mechanism" or something, as far as we know there is none.
People in quantum field theory can show that particles (quantum fields) *may have* a spin, i.e. spin is not forbidden by special relativity and the Rules of Quantum Mechanics.
But why there actually *is* something like a spin (i.e., why this possibility is actually realized in nature), nobody knows - physics is not very good at answering "why"-questions, we do much better with "how"-questions.
 
  • #4
thunderhadron said:
Hi friends I've a big andu here.
Electron revolts around the nucleus in the circular path. Its due to the force between them.
Why the electron spins around its own axis?
No, the electrons do not really revolve around the nucleus, and it's not because of forces between them. Their 'movement' can only be modeled as probability distributions around the nucleus. Why the electron spins around its own axis - well the electron doesn't have a structure(as far is currently known) so all it does is taken to be fundamental and can only be described(it's not understood in terms of more basic mechanisms).
Electron spin is responsible for magnetism, so it's an essential feature of our reality. Why it spins is a metaphysical question.
 
  • #5
can Any1 suggest me a book for quantum physics which has a deep study inside it along with a bit easy language to understand?
 
  • #6
I think Griffiths is the easiest that I've seen. It still requires a bit of Linear Algebra and DiffEq's both ordinary and partial. I don't know of any others "real" quantum books that are less formal.
 

FAQ: Understanding Electron Spin and its Role in Atomic Structure

What is electron spin?

Electron spin is a fundamental property of electrons, which are subatomic particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom. Spin refers to the intrinsic angular momentum of an electron, which can be thought of as a spinning motion. However, this spin is not a physical rotation but rather a quantum mechanical property that can have two possible orientations: up or down.

How does electron spin affect atomic structure?

Electron spin plays a crucial role in determining the energy levels and configurations of electrons in an atom. The Pauli exclusion principle states that no two electrons in an atom can have the same set of quantum numbers, including spin. This means that the spin of an electron can influence its position and energy within an atom, ultimately determining the overall structure and properties of the atom.

Can electron spin be observed?

While electron spin cannot be directly observed, its effects can be detected through various experiments and measurements. For example, the Stern-Gerlach experiment demonstrated the quantized nature of electron spin by observing the deflection of silver atoms in a magnetic field. Additionally, techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electron spin resonance (ESR) utilize electron spin to study the structure and properties of molecules.

How is electron spin different from electron orbital angular momentum?

Electron spin and orbital angular momentum are two distinct properties of electrons. Orbital angular momentum refers to the motion of an electron around the nucleus of an atom, while spin refers to the intrinsic angular momentum of an electron. Unlike orbital angular momentum, spin is not affected by the external environment and remains constant in the absence of external magnetic fields.

Can electron spin be manipulated?

Yes, electron spin can be manipulated through the application of external magnetic fields. This is the basis of technologies such as magnetic storage devices and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In addition, scientists are also exploring ways to control and manipulate electron spin for potential applications in quantum computing and spintronics, which utilize the spin of electrons for data storage and processing.

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