What does it mean for an electron to have a spin?
In: 3
Quick, simple answer, they literally (enough for a simple explanation) rotate during their orbits enough to be detectable under certain circumstances. This was (as far as I remember) demonstrated by shooting an electron beam into a magnetic field and observing that it split, with the split beam being explained by the spin since it causes opposite force on the electrons. Additional detail that will likely be explained better in future answers: they also have a “spin” to differentiate two electrons of otherwise identical energy levels so we can have two electrons of an atom share the same energy in a shell but still be distinct in some way
Latest Answers