[Physics] Why bosons have integer spin and fermions have half-integer ones

bosonsfermionsparticle-physicsspecial-relativityspin-statistics

Due the fact that the fermions are the "block particles" and the bosons are the "carriers" I just came out with the question that, why the "block particle" have half-integer spin and the "carriers" have an integer spin?

Best Answer

The fact that bosons have integer spin whereas fermions have half-integer is actually a result from the so-called spin-statistics theorem.

The definition of bosons and fermions is not in terms of spin, it is in terms of symmetry of the wave function under the exchange of particles. The spin-statistics theorem says that the wave function of an integer spin identical particles' system is symmetric under the exchange of particles and therefore those are bosons. On the other hand the wave function of an half integer identical particles' system is antisymmetric under the exchange of particles and thus they are fermions.

If you are interested in knowing why force carriers are bosons you can check this: Why are all force particles bosons?