Spin magnetic moment

In physics, mainly quantum mechanics and particle physics, a spin magnetic moment is the magnetic moment caused by the spin of elementary particles. For example, the electron is an elementary spin-1/2 fermion. Quantum electrodynamics gives the most accurate prediction of the anomalous magnetic moment of the electron.

In general, a magnetic moment can be defined in terms of an electric current and the area enclosed by the current loop. Since angular momentum corresponds to rotational motion, the magnetic moment can be related to the orbital angular momentum of the charge carriers in the constituting current. However, in magnetic materials, the atomic and molecular dipoles have magnetic moments not just because of their quantized orbital angular momentum, but also due to the spin of elementary particles constituting them.

It is often said that spin is a non-classical property of elementary particles, however this is not true. Classically, spin is a property of rigid bodies defined by a moment of inertia. This is simple to understand, as the Earth is a rigid body that spins but also orbits the sun.

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