In Stern-Gerlach experiment, calculate the force being exerted on the silver atoms due to the inhomogeneous magnetic field and hence calculate the maximum displacement occurs between the traces.
Answer
The inhomogenous of the magnetic field means that the atoms experience a sideways force given by
Where U = −µ · B = −µzB is the potential energy of the silver atom in the magneic field becomes as
Now,
maximum displacement occurs between the trace is given by
Diagram can be shown as
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