Quantisation of angular momenta in atoms

Abstract

The aim of the work was to see if the direction of angular momenta in atoms is quantised. In order to do it, a beam of atoms is split, and deflected because of interactions between atomic dipole moments and an externally applied magnetic field. In which case, the angular momenta in atoms is definitively quantised. Firstly, the detector was checked and then the operation of the detector was characterised; secondly, the beam was detected and characterised with residual magnetisation minimised; thirdly, the beam was detected and characterised with magnetic field present. The sample used to determine the magnetic moment was Potassium. The Bohr’s magneton constant value was found to be (9.22±0.7)*10−24 J/T. The answer is lower than the nominal value but lies within the expected error range. This proved the accuracy of the work done and proved the quantisation of the angular momentum, since it proved the presence of magnetic moment.