The Spinning Period of a Free Electron and the Periods of Spin and Orbital Motions of Electron in Atomic States

Abstract

The spinning period for a free electron and the periods of spin and orbital motion of the electron in an atomic state have been calculated. We have shown that for a free electron the spinning period is: (T s ) free =1.9×10 -20 s. But in the atomic case we show that, both the spin and the orbital periods depend on the quantum numbers n, m l , m s and the effective Landé-g factor, g * which is a function of the quantum number l of the atomic state given in Dirac notation. We have also calculated these periods for the ground state and some excited states—hydrogen and hydrogen-like atoms. For atomic states the approximate values of spinning period are and the related orbital periods are: (T 0 ) atomic =(10 -16 -10 -15 )s. Therefore atto-second processes which are related to the pulse of 10 -18 s will filter the orbital motion of the electron but will be long enough to detect the details of the spin motion, such as flip-flops.