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Revision as of 23:46, 23 May 2026
angular momentum is a Book II topic in the Quantum Collection. Angular momentum in an atom is a quantized physical quantity associated with the motion and intrinsic properties of an electron. It plays a central role in determining the structure of orbitals and the behavior of electrons in atoms. Angular momentum is represented by operators with quantized eigenvalues and noncommuting components. In atoms it includes orbital angular momentum, spin angular momentum, and their couplings. These quantities determine degeneracies, selection rules, magnetic moments, fine structure, hyperfine structure, and the response of atoms to external electric and magnetic fields.
Description
In quantum mechanics, angular momentum is described by quantum numbers and is restricted to discrete values. It arises in two forms:
- orbital angular momentum, associated with the electron’s motion in an orbital
- intrinsic angular momentum, known as spin
These quantities determine the allowed energy states and spatial distributions of electrons.
Properties
- quantized values
- determines orbital shapes
- linked to energy levels and spectra
See also
Table of contents (217 articles)
Index
Full contents
References
Source attribution: Physics:Quantum atoms/angular momentum
