Atomic Magnets: Exploring The Magnetic Behavior Of Electrons
The electron e- is a negatively charged elementary particle. In the standard model, it is classified as a member of the lepton family. As a very simple particle, it has no inner structure and a mass of about 1/1840 the mass of the proton. The electron has been heavily described using quantum mechanical theory. One very important result is that an electron can be described by various quantum numbers. Importantly, the spin quantum number assigns unique properties to every electron in an atom The electron is responsible for many properties of matter. They constitute the electric current, are responsible for chemical bonding and reactions, impart color to substances, conduct heat, and give rise to magnetic properties. We know from electromagnetic theory that a moving charge generates magnetic fields. Therefore, electrons as individual entities are magnets in their own right. We shall see in this article how electrons behave like magnets and how magnetic behavior arises. I have tried as muc