Spinning like tops, the electrons circle the nucleus, or core, of an atom. Their movement generates an electric current and causes each electron to act like a microscopic magnet. In most substances, equal numbers of electrons spin in opposite directions, which cancels out their magnetism.21-Jan-2011
How does the spin of an electron create a magnetic field?
If the majority of electrons in the atom spins in the same direction, a strong magnetic field is produced. The direction of the electrons spin determines the direction of magnetic field. If the same number of electrons in the atom spins in opposite directions, the electron spins will cancels out.
How do electrons create magnetism?
The spinning of the electrons around the nucleus of an atom creates a tiny magnetic field. The electrons in most objects spin in random directions, and their magnetic forces cancel each other out. Magnets are different because the molecules in magnets are arranged so that their electrons spin in the same direction.
Why is electron spin important in magnetism?
The magnetic moment is usually expressed as a multiple of the Bohr magneton. The electron spin magnetic moment is important in the spin-orbit interaction which splits atomic energy levels and gives rise to fine structure in the spectra of atoms.
How do electrons affect magnetism?
All the electrons do produce a magnetic field as they spin and orbit the nucleus; however, in some atoms, two electrons spinning and orbiting in opposite directions pair up and the net magnetic moment of the atom is zero. The direction of spin and orbit of the electron determines the direction of the magnetic field.
What causes magnetism quizlet?
Magnetism is caused by moving charges. Under what conditions will a charge in a magnetic field NOT experience a force? A charge will not experience a force in a magnetic field if it is not moving or if it is moving parallel to the magnetic field.
How does magnetic field affect spin?
The magnetic field diverts the spin up atoms in one direction and the spin-down atoms in another direction. This produces two distinct bands on a screen ((Figure)). In the Stern-Gerlach experiment, an external, nonuniform magnetic field diverts a beam of electrons in two different directions.
What is electron magnetism?
In atomic physics, the electron magnetic moment, or more specifically the electron magnetic dipole moment, is the magnetic moment of an electron caused by its intrinsic properties of spin and electric charge. The value of the electron magnetic moment is approximately −9.284764×10−24 J/T.
Why do electrons spin?
In quantum theories, we speak of electrons as having a property called “spin.” The reason we use this term is that electrons possess an angular momentum and a magnetic moment, just as one would expect for a rotating charged body.
What happens if electrons have the same spin?
If two electrons are spinning in the same direction, it's like putting two North poles of a magnet near each other. They will repel.