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THE SPIN MAGNETIC MOMENT

 

Although in some texts (perhaps all new ones) this is called the spin magnetic dipole moment, the "dipole" portion is unnecessary since physicists finally seem to agree that the magnetic monopole cannot exist. Perhaps the reason for leaving "dipole" in the name is to distinguish this moment from a moment when two people meet who experience love at first sight.

The magnetic moment is a way of representing the electron's resistance or preference, depending upon one's viewpoint, to change its direction in a magnetic field. The resistance is based upon the mass in the magnetic moment equation, and the preference is based upon the charge and the rest of the elements of the equation.
The equation is u = -2m_su_B where "u" is the magnetic moment, "m_s" is the spin magnetic quantum number, and "u_B" is the Bohr magneton.

u_B = (h/2pi)(e/2m)  where "e" is the charge of an electron.

What we have is the two forces which prefer to change the electron orientation when it is in a magnetic field, given as "e", charge, and "h/2pi" or "h" (the Planck unit of action), showing electron spin, divided by the mass which is actually "M/t", the inward flow of the nether, which provides the electron with inertia.

[Vectors were once considered to have direction and magnitude with their direction indicating their direction of action. When physicists went off-track after the Michelson-Morley experiment, they developed a way of thinking that would make it easy for them to show electron spin. This was fine for electrons but created confusion when applied to other fields. So a vector may or may not be a true vector and a moment may or may not be a true moment in the old sense, as they are now represented. Bear this in mind when you work with contemporary texts. If you studied physics after the changes occurred, this explanation may clear up some residual confusion that the new convention has caused.]

In the battle between force and inertia, force ultimately wins, but time is used in the winning, so we have such things as the magnetic moment which helps us with things like "magnetic resonance" which has become a boon to science and technology.
 

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