Angular Momentum and Spin

Gennaro Auletta, Shang-Yung Wang

Published Jun 20, 2014• 1 citation

Abstract

In this chapter we shall treat two of the most important observables of quantum mechanical systems: angular momentum and spin. We shall argue that angular momentum is the generator of rotations. In quantummechanics, angular momentum is quantized in units of the reduced Planck constant. The quantization of angular momentum is dealt with by ﬁnding the angular momentum eigenvalues and eigenstates. We shall then apply the theory of angular momentum to study the hydrogen atom. Spin is an intrinsic angular momentum of subatomic particles and therefore corresponds to an important intrinsic degree of freedom. We shall discuss brieﬂy how spin was discovered and many of its important properties. Finally, we shall also explore here some further subtleties of quantum theory.a When we consider quantum systems in two or three spatial dimensions, we need to take into account also the eﬀect of rotations. In this case, we need to introduce a physical quantity called the angular momentum, that is, themomentum induced by or connected with rotations. In classical physics the angular momentum of a particle about a given origin is deﬁned by [see Fig. 8.1]

DOI: 10.1201/b17083-14

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