# How can an electron being a wave have such property as spin?

Here's what I know about electrons.

Electrons have wave-like properties and the number of wavelengths in the $$n^\text{th}$$ shell is equal to $$n(\lambda).$$ Also, I read in my book that they have another property called spin.

But I couldn't imagine how a wave can have a property of spin. If this property is just a mathematical model, then is this property compatible for a wave i.e. Is it appropriate to use this property of spin with waves ?

• Note that this topic fits better to Physics SE site. – Poutnik Sep 15 at 9:10
• I will probably never understand why it's often suggested that the questions about electrons are better suited for Physics.SE and at the same time the questions about dimensional analysis for some reason are perfectly fine for Chemistry.SE. – andselisk Sep 15 at 9:17
• In fact, spin is probably easier to define for a wave than for a particle. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angular_momentum_operator – orthocresol Sep 15 at 9:24
• @andselisk I would it narrow down to some questions about electrons. Behaviour of electrons in context of atomic and molecular configuration is fine with me at CH SE. OTOH, nature of particle spin ? It is not so much about chemistry. It does not mean chemists cannot explain it. Some are surely familiar with spinors and Dirac equation ( not me ). About dimensional analysis, both physics and chemistry use many of shared and specific quantities, so it kind of belongs to both. – Poutnik Sep 15 at 9:25
• @orthocresol As Dirac equation is a wave equation, I would think so. – Poutnik Sep 15 at 9:27