SpY]
Oct3-10, 03:41 PM
Just want to make sure if I have this correct and to ask a question,
If you pass an electric field through an atom, it polarizes it the atom with a dipole moment p = \alpha E where is a constant of polarizability and E the electric field. Because of the electric field, the nucleus moves in the direction of the field, and the electron cloud shifts the other way. So the nucleus shifts a distance d from the cloud. Because the electric field exerts a force on the nucleus, the electron cloud exerts a force based on d (from the centre) until the two reach equilibrium.
My question is where you should start to find the exact value of d for which equilibrium is reached, the dipole moment at this point, and lastly determine the polarizability constant in terms of the volume
If you pass an electric field through an atom, it polarizes it the atom with a dipole moment p = \alpha E where is a constant of polarizability and E the electric field. Because of the electric field, the nucleus moves in the direction of the field, and the electron cloud shifts the other way. So the nucleus shifts a distance d from the cloud. Because the electric field exerts a force on the nucleus, the electron cloud exerts a force based on d (from the centre) until the two reach equilibrium.
My question is where you should start to find the exact value of d for which equilibrium is reached, the dipole moment at this point, and lastly determine the polarizability constant in terms of the volume