Effect of a Magnetic Field on an Atomic Orbital

Abstract

<p>The motion of an atomic electron in its orbit. The usual treatment deals with the change in magnetic dipole momentassuming the electron's speed changes but the radius of its orbit remains unchanged. We derive the change in themagnetic dipole moment allowing both the speed and the radius to change. The cases of fixed radius on one handand of fixed speed on the other are treated as special cases of our general case.</p><p>The motion of an atomic electron in its orbit. The usual treatment deals with the change in magnetic dipole momentassuming the electron's speed changes but the radius of its orbit remains unchanged. We derive the change in themagnetic dipole moment allowing both the speed and the radius to change. The cases of fixed radius on one handand of fixed speed on the other are treated as special cases of our general case.</p>