PIRSA:08080089

Quantum Mechanics 14 - The Physics of Electron Spin

Epp, R. (2008). Quantum Mechanics 14 - The Physics of Electron Spin. Perimeter Institute. https://pirsa.org/08080089

Epp, Richard. Quantum Mechanics 14 - The Physics of Electron Spin. Perimeter Institute, Aug. 01, 2008, https://pirsa.org/08080089 

          @misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:08080089,
            doi = {},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/08080089},
            author = {Epp, Richard},
            keywords = {},
            language = {en},
            title = {Quantum Mechanics 14 - The Physics of Electron Spin},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
            year = {2008},
            month = {aug},
            note = {PIRSA:08080089 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
          }

Richard Epp University of Waterloo

Talk numberPIRSA:08080089
Collection

Abstract

An experimental introduction to electron spin.
Learning Outcomes:
• To develop the classical understanding of a spinning bar magnet, and how we would expect it to be affected on passing through a Stern-Gerlach apparatus.
• How actual experiments with silver atoms (containing an electron that acts like a tiny spinning bar magnet) give results that are completely different from the above classical expectations.
• How a variety of different experiments lead to two main conclusions: (1) the spin of an electron is quantized (“spin up” or “spin down”), and (2) probability plays a fundamental role in the spin direction selected by the Stern-Gerlach apparatus.