Spinning Electrons and Protons

Abstract

THE remarkable results obtained within the past fifteen months by employing the spinning electron in Bohr's atomic model suggest the question whether it may not be necessary to suppose that the proton also is capable of a quantised spin. Although the analytical difficulties in applying the new quantum mechanics to this problem may be considerable, they may not be too great to be overcome by mathematicians. There seem to be several arguments in favour of such a hypothesis. If, as is generally assumed, the proton is the positive electron, it seems natural to suppose that if the negative electron can spin with unit angular momentum the positive electron may do the same. Again, it may be easier to understand the structure of a complex nucleus if the units of which it is composed can act as elementary magnets. Prof. Duane has attempted to explain corpuscular emission from a radioactive nucleus on these lines. Finally, recent experiments on the deflection of protons and alpha particles in collision with an atomic nucleus seem to lend support to the idea of a magnetic field in the vicinity of a nucleus.