2006-07-28 16:41:14 · 2 answers · asked by Shamiul_islam 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
The term spin in nuclear physics or quantum mechanics is not the literal "rotating about an axis" that we think of. It is more like an orientation. Electrons have two spin states, and they are +1/2 or -1/2.
Spin as used in this manner is indicated in units that can only be measured or calculated as plus or minus in units of a half or in integers. It would be more accurate to say that when a particle is in motion, it moves like a wave that spirals in one direction or another.
When an electron moves through space in wavelike motion, for each wavelength, it will have turned one half unit. For a photon the spin is 1 and so it will complete one turn for each wavelength it has moved.
The plus or minus indicates the direction that the waves' components will spiral. Again, for the photon (which is easier to explain) there is an electrical part of its field and a magnetic part of its field. If one precesses the other it will spin one way, and this tells us how it is polarized.
The bottom line is that nobody is really sure what spin is, but there are definite values it can take for each type of particle.
2006-07-28 17:17:09 · answer #1 · answered by aichip_mark2 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because it is possible it spins at clockwise direction(+1/2} or counterclockwise direction(-1/2).
2006-07-29 02:14:05 · answer #2 · answered by eshaghi_2006 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋