Amalgam of Thoughts

"Cogito Ergo Sum" - I think therefore I exist
-Rene Descartes

29 December 2005

It Spins your Mind!

While reading about sub-atomic particles, I came across a specific property of particles - Spin. Every particle supposedly has a spin associated with it, even if it considered to be in a rest state, it is spinning intrinsically. Now, depending on their spins particles have been segregated.

Integer Spin Particles

  • Particles having Spin 0 can be visualised as a single point. Look at it from any direction, rotate it, roll it, it looks the same.

  • Particles with Spin 1 can be visualised like numbered cards or an arrow. Give them a 360 Degree revolution and they look the same.
  • Particles having Spin 2 can be visualised like the Queen in Cards or a Line. Give it a 180 Degree revolution and it looks the same.

Forces seen in Nature Gravity, Electro-magnetism, nuclear force etc are integer spin particles.

So far so good, the interesting part comes when those scientists say that there are particles with half-spin!. i.e on Two revolutions the particle will look the same. Now start visualising how that would happen. I tried and even after the thinking spun my head I couldn't visualise it!.
The amazing (or terrifying) thing is that matter is made up of half-integer spin particles !! electrons, neutrons, protons.. the stuff that we are made up of, have a spin of 1/2 or 3/2 or 5/2... and we cant even visualise them :D. If you need some visual aid try this. Read the explanation too on that site, if time permits. Truly baffling! Either those scientists are wrong or Gods must be crazy

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