Summary
Tomonaga's "The Story of Spin" (co-authored with Y. Tomonaga, 1974) explains the concept of spin in quantum mechanics. The central thesis is that spin is an intrinsic angular momentum possessed by elementary particles, independent of their orbital motion. The book traces the historical development of this idea, from early experimental observations to its theoretical formulation.
Readers learn that spin is a quantum property, quantized into discrete values, and crucial for understanding the behavior of electrons and other fundamental particles. Key ideas include the Stern-Gerlach experiment as experimental evidence, the concept of spin angular momentum quantum number ($s$), and its role in particle statistics (Fermi-Dirac for fermions, Bose-Einstein for bosons). The book provides a clear, accessible introduction to this foundational quantum concept.
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Key concepts
- Spin — An intrinsic angular momentum possessed by elementary particles, a purely quantum mechanical property.
- Spin Quantum Number ($s$) — A fundamental property of a particle that determines the magnitude of its spin angular momentum.
- Stern-Gerlach Experiment — An experiment demonstrating the quantization of spin angular momentum by deflecting beams of atoms in an inhomogeneous magnetic field.
- Fermions — Particles with half-integer spin that obey the Pauli exclusion principle, such as electrons and protons.
- Bosons — Particles with integer spin that do not obey the Pauli exclusion principle, such as photons and helium-4 atoms.