Topics
- Quantum Mechanics
- Spin
- Quantum Measurement
Description
The classic Stern-Gerlach Experiment shows that atoms have a property called spin. Spin is a kind of intrinsic angular momentum, which has no classical counterpart. When the z-component of the spin is measured, one always gets one of two values: spin up or spin down.
Sample Learning Goals
- Describe the observations made in the Stern-Gerlach experiment.
- Describe how spins behave in the presence of a magnetic field.
- Recognize that spin is quantized.
- Describe how measuring spin along some direction changes its state.
- Argue from experimental observations that spin in the x direction and spin in the z direction must be incompatible observables.
Version 2.02
