Every magnetic object has a magnetic moment. From electrons to molecules, to even planets. But my question is, what determines the magnitude of a magnetic moment a quantum object has? Does the magnitude of the magnetic moment of a quantum particle depend on mass, charge, ect? Or is it just an intrinsic property that a particle has, and is not dependent on anything?
1 Answers
This is really two questions, one on leptons and one on quarks .Some moments of particles are listed in Magnetic Dipole Moments.
Does the magnitude of the magnetic moment of a quantum particle depend on mass, charge, ect? Or is it just an intrinsic property that a particle has, and is not dependent on anything?
The magnetic moment of a lepton, such as an electron, is intrinsic, and related to spin, but for composite particles such as mesons ( a quark and an antiquark), and baryons (three quarks ), I would refer you to this answer Magnetic Moments, which points out that simple addition of individual magnetic moments of quarks is not applicable. So the magnetic moment of an up quark, is not $\mu_p = \frac{4}{3}\mu_u - \frac{1}{3}\mu_d$, for example.
For baryons, there are 3 valance quarks, but at any one time other quarks may exist, which complicates the issue of individual quarks.