Principle
A beam of potassium atoms generated in a hot furnace travels along a specific path in a magnetic two-wire field. Because of the magnetic moment of the potassium atoms, the non-homogeneity of the field applies a force at right angles to the direction of their motion. The potassium atoms are thereby deflected from their path. By measuring the density of the beam of particles in a plane of detection lying behind the magnetic field, it is possible to draw conclusions as to the magnitude and direction of the magnetic moment of the potassium atoms.
Benefits
-Experience the essence of the Nobel Prize: Gerlach (1943)
-First proof of the quantization of the spatial orientation of the angular momentum
-A beam of neutral potassium atoms are deflected in a non homogeneous magnetic field and can even be measured precisely
Tasks
-Recording the distribution of the particle beam density in the detection plane in the absence of the effective magnetic field.
-Fitting a curve consisting of a straight line, a parabola, and another straight line, to the experimentally determined special distribution of the particle beam density.
-Determining the dependence of the particle beam density in the detection plane with different values of the non-homogeneity of the effective magnetic field.
-Investigating the positions of the maxima of the particle beam density as a function of the non-homogeneity of the magnetic field.
Learning objectives
-Magnetic moment
-Bohr magneton
-Directional quantization
-g-factor
-Electron spin
-Atomic beam
-Maxwellian velocity distribution
-Two-wire field
A beam of potassium atoms generated in a hot furnace travels along a specific path in a magnetic two-wire field. Because of the magnetic moment of the potassium atoms, the non-homogeneity of the field applies a force at right angles to the direction of their motion. The potassium atoms are thereby deflected from their path. By measuring the density of the beam of particles in a plane of detection lying behind the magnetic field, it is possible to draw conclusions as to the magnitude and direction of the magnetic moment of the potassium atoms.
Benefits
-Experience the essence of the Nobel Prize: Gerlach (1943)
-First proof of the quantization of the spatial orientation of the angular momentum
-A beam of neutral potassium atoms are deflected in a non homogeneous magnetic field and can even be measured precisely
Tasks
-Recording the distribution of the particle beam density in the detection plane in the absence of the effective magnetic field.
-Fitting a curve consisting of a straight line, a parabola, and another straight line, to the experimentally determined special distribution of the particle beam density.
-Determining the dependence of the particle beam density in the detection plane with different values of the non-homogeneity of the effective magnetic field.
-Investigating the positions of the maxima of the particle beam density as a function of the non-homogeneity of the magnetic field.
Learning objectives
-Magnetic moment
-Bohr magneton
-Directional quantization
-g-factor
-Electron spin
-Atomic beam
-Maxwellian velocity distribution
-Two-wire field
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Properties
- PP2511101
- P2511101