Spinor

A spinor is an element of a representation space for a Spin group; algebraically, spinor spaces arise from irreducible representations of a Clifford algebra or its even part. The Spin group is a double cover of a rotation group, so its action can distinguish rotations that ordinary vectors cannot.

For rotations in three-dimensional Euclidean space, a spinor can be a column in ${\mathbb{C}}^2$, acted on by $\mathrm{SU}(2)$. A rotation through angle $\theta$ about a unit direction $n$ acts as $\exp (-i\theta n\cdot \sigma /2)$, where $\sigma$ are the Pauli matrices. At $\theta =2\pi$ this is $-I$, and at $4\pi$ it is $I$. The sign change explains the distinction between spinors and spatial vectors and underlies the representation of spin one-half. A spinor is not a literal square root of a vector; the relationship is through the Clifford algebra action.

A spinor is a mathematical object used in physics, particularly in the fields of quantum mechanics and the theory of relativity. It is a type of vector that behaves differently than ordinary vectors under rotations and transformations. Specifically, spinors are essential in describing the intrinsic angular momentum (spin) of particles, such as electrons.