ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Light spin angular momentum

Have you ever seen a spinning top? When it spins, it has something called angular momentum, which is how much it's spinning and how much it wants to keep spinning. The same thing happens with light! Light has something called spin angular momentum, which means it's spinning around as it travels.

So, imagine a tiny ball of light. As it moves forward, it's also spinning around in a circle. We call this circle its spin. And just like a top, the faster it spins, the more spin angular momentum it has.

This spin angular momentum is important because it affects how light interacts with things like mirrors and lenses. It can also be used in things like optical tweezers, which are tools scientists use to manipulate tiny particles.

So, to sum it up: Light has something called spin angular momentum, which means it's spinning around as it moves. This spinning can affect how light interacts with objects and is useful in scientific tools.