Orbital magnetic field

Definition

An orbital magnetic field is the magnetic field generated by the motion of electrons in their atomic orbits. This phenomenon is significant in understanding fine structure and spectral lines in atomic physics.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The orbital magnetic field arises due to the angular momentum of electrons orbiting around the nucleus.
2. It plays a crucial role in the Zeeman effect, where spectral lines split into multiple components under a magnetic field.
3. The strength of the orbital magnetic field is proportional to the electron's velocity and inversely proportional to its orbit radius.
4. Electron spin and orbital angular momentum both contribute to an atom's overall magnetic moment.
5. Quantization of angular momentum leads to discrete energy levels and specific allowed values for the orbital magnetic field.

Review Questions

• What causes the generation of an orbital magnetic field in an atom?
• How does the orbital magnetic field influence spectral line patterns?
• Explain how quantization affects the values of the orbital magnetic field.

Related terms

Zeeman Effect: The splitting of spectral lines into multiple components in the presence of a static magnetic field.

Angular Momentum: A measure of the quantity of rotation an object has, which for electrons includes both orbital and spin components.

Magnetic Moment: A vector quantity that represents the magnitude and direction of an object's magnetism, arising from electron spin and orbital movement.