- #1
doublemint
- 141
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Hello All,
Right now, I am trying to complete my QM assignment, but I am getting confused about the notation.
So, the generalized angular momentum operator is represented as [itex]\hat{J}[/itex] and -j is the quantum # associated with the magnitude and [itex]m_{j}[/itex] is the quantum # associated with the projection of the angular momentum projection.
Then given j=2, [itex]m_{j}[/itex]=-2,-1,0,1,2
So now onto spin. The spin operator is [itex]\hat{S}[/itex] and similar s is the magnitude of the spin and [itex]m_{s}[/itex] is the projections. Then given s=1/2, [itex]m_{s}[/itex]=1/2,-1/2
So far so good right?
Now what is confusing to me is this: the question is asking for the expectation of the three components of angular momentum of a spin 5 particle. Does it mean s=5 or j=5?
Another question is what does it mean by "the quantum number associated with the magnitude of the spin for a particle"? Are they asking for s?
Thanks
DoubleMint
Right now, I am trying to complete my QM assignment, but I am getting confused about the notation.
So, the generalized angular momentum operator is represented as [itex]\hat{J}[/itex] and -j is the quantum # associated with the magnitude and [itex]m_{j}[/itex] is the quantum # associated with the projection of the angular momentum projection.
Then given j=2, [itex]m_{j}[/itex]=-2,-1,0,1,2
So now onto spin. The spin operator is [itex]\hat{S}[/itex] and similar s is the magnitude of the spin and [itex]m_{s}[/itex] is the projections. Then given s=1/2, [itex]m_{s}[/itex]=1/2,-1/2
So far so good right?
Now what is confusing to me is this: the question is asking for the expectation of the three components of angular momentum of a spin 5 particle. Does it mean s=5 or j=5?
Another question is what does it mean by "the quantum number associated with the magnitude of the spin for a particle"? Are they asking for s?
Thanks
DoubleMint