QUANTUM

MECHANICS
TOTAL ANGULAR MOMENTUM
• Quantum numbers 𝑠 and 𝑚! are used to describe spin angular momentum. For
" "
example, W bosons have 𝑠 = 1 and 𝑚! = −1,0, +1. Electrons have 𝑠 = # and 𝑚! = ± #.

• The total angular momentum 𝑱 is the vector sum of orbital angular momentum 𝑳 and
spin angular momentum 𝑺:
𝑱=𝑳+𝑺

• The quantum numbers 𝑗 and 𝑚$ are used to describe total angular momentum such
that:
𝑱 = 𝑗 𝑗+1 ℏ
𝐽% = ℏ𝑚$
" &
• Note that 𝑗 may take values 𝑗 = 0, # , 1, # , 2, …
TOTAL ANGULAR MOMENTUM

• The actual values of 𝑗 depend on the orbital and spin angular momentum
quantum numbers 𝑙 and 𝑠 as follows:
𝑗 = 𝑙 + 𝑠 , 𝑙 + 𝑠 − 1 ,…, 𝑙 − 𝑠
! #
• For example, when 𝑙 = 1 (p-orbital) and 𝑠 = , 𝑗 can take values 𝑗 = and 𝑗 =
" "
! ! !
. When 𝑙 = 0 (s-orbital) and 𝑠 = , then 𝑗 = only.
" " "

• The 𝑧-component of total angular momentum is described by 𝑚$ :

𝐽% = 𝑚$ ℏ, 𝑚$ = −𝑗, −𝑗 + 1, … , 𝑗 − 1, 𝑗

The number of values for 𝑚$ is 2𝑗 + 1 .

TOTAL MAGNETIC MOMENTS
• The orbital magnetic moment is
𝑒 𝑳
𝝁𝑳 = − 𝑳 = −𝜇)
2𝑚( ℏ

• Recall: 𝜇) = 𝑒ℏ/2𝑚( . The spin magnetic moment is

𝑒 𝑺
𝝁𝑺 = −𝑔! 𝑺 = −𝑔! 𝜇)
2𝑚( ℏ

• 𝑔! ≈ 2 is the spin gyromagnetic ratio of the electron. The total magnetic moment is
𝑒 𝑱
𝝁𝑱 = −𝑔 𝑱 = −𝑔𝜇)
2𝑚( ℏ
TOTAL MAGNETIC MOMENTS

where 𝑔 is the Landé 𝑔-factor:

𝑗 𝑗+1 −𝑙 𝑙+1 +𝑠 𝑠+1
𝑔 =1+
2𝑗 𝑗 + 1
• The 𝑧-component of the orbital magnetic moment is
𝑒
𝜇&,% =− 𝐿% = −𝜇) 𝑚*
2𝑚(
• The 𝑧-component of the spin magnetic moment is
𝑒
𝜇+,% = −𝑔, 𝑆% = −2𝜇) 𝑚,
2𝑚(
TOTAL MAGNETIC MOMENTS

• The 𝑧-component of the total magnetic moment is

𝑒
𝜇-,% = −𝑔 𝐽% = −𝑔𝜇) 𝑚$
2𝑚(
• For example, consider an atom in the ground state. This atom has a single
! !
electron with 𝑙 = 0 and 𝑠 = . Therefore, 𝑗 = .
" "

1 1 1 1
+1 −0 0+1 +2 2+1
𝑔 =1+ 2 2 =2
1 1
2 2 2+1
TOTAL MAGNETIC MOMENTS

• Now consider an atom with only orbital angular momentum, where 𝑠 = 0 and
so 𝑗 = 𝑙:

𝑙 𝑙 +1 −𝑙 𝑙+1 +0 0+1
𝑔 =1+ =1
2 𝑙 𝑙 +1

• The total magnetic moment is also the vector sum of 𝝁𝑳 and 𝝁𝑺 :

𝑳 𝑺 𝜇) 𝑳 + 2𝑺
𝝁𝑱 = 𝝁𝑳 + 𝝁𝑺 = −𝜇) − 2𝜇) =−
ℏ ℏ ℏ
TOTAL MAGNETIC MOMENTS
! !
• Protons and neutrons contain quarks and gluons and have 𝑗 = " and 𝑚# = ± "

• The 𝑧-component of the total magnetic moment for a proton is

(()*+*,) 𝑒ℏ
𝜇$,& = 2.79 𝑚# = 2.79𝜇/ 𝑚#
2𝑚.

• The 𝑧-component of the total magnetic moment for a neutron is

(,01+)*,) 𝑒ℏ
𝜇$,& = −1.95 𝑚 = −1.95𝜇/ 𝑚#
2𝑚2 #

• 𝜇/ is the nuclear magneton:

𝑒ℏ
𝜇/ = = 5.05×103"4 𝐽 𝑇 3!
2𝑚.