In the Stern-Gerlach experiment classical spinning magnetic dipoles are expected to have a random and continuous distribution of their spin angular momenta. Is it possible for the experiment to be performed with objects equivalent to classical magnetic dipoles so that the corresponding density distribution is detected and has such experiment been done?
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$\begingroup$ The experimental setup of Stern and Gerlach consisted of a stove in which silver evaporated at a temperature of about 1300С, and an electromagnet with a south pole in the form of a blade 3.5 cm long, in the field of which a beam of silver atoms was deflected. To analyze the motion of particles in the Stern-Gerlach apparatus, the Newton equation is used. This is an experiment with classical dipoles which you are looking for. $\endgroup$– Alex TrounevCommented Feb 12, 2020 at 17:35
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$\begingroup$ The following quote from Wikipedia reflects the understanding I get from various materials: "In the original experiment, silver atoms were sent ... The screen reveals discrete points of accumulation, rather than a continuous distribution,[1] owing to their quantized spin. Historically, this experiment was decisive in convincing physicists of the reality of angular-momentum quantization in all atomic-scale systems." $\endgroup$– ghogohCommented Feb 12, 2020 at 18:13
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$\begingroup$ Apparently not everyone read article [1]. There, a continuous distribution of classical particles with a magnetic moment was obtained. But this distribution allows us to conclude that the magnetic moment of silver atoms can be quantized. See my answer here physics.stackexchange.com/questions/480510/… $\endgroup$– Alex TrounevCommented Feb 12, 2020 at 19:18
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$\begingroup$ Thank you for your comments, Alex. I was unable to read the original article in German and found only one (somewhat raw translation), in which the original authors apparently state: "The pictures show that the silver atom beam in an inhomogenec magnetic field is split up into two beams in the direction of the inhomogeneity, .... We view these results as direct experimental verifications of space quantization in a magnetic field." I also read your comments as you suggest. ... $\endgroup$– ghogohCommented Feb 13, 2020 at 6:34
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$\begingroup$ ... Although I am not sufficiently qualified to fully understand your very respectable explanation I am still not any wiser as to how it relates to my question, considering that it is also raised by aquagremlin, with no direct answer available. $\endgroup$– ghogohCommented Feb 13, 2020 at 6:35
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Aquagremlin appears to have done this experiment with small magnetic steel spheres. But seperately...the people who said classical theory predicts even deflection angles. Not true. Any random sample of atoms with randomly arranged dipoles travelling in a horizontal beam will have most dipole angles arranged parallel to the beam path. And allow a classical model to explain split paths
