Can electrostatic forces explain electron configurations?

[TimH]

I've been studying basic atomic structure-- shells, subshells, orbitals, the four quantum numbers, the periodic table, etc. This is in a chemistry book, but if my question belongs in the physics forum please let me know.

I've seen diagrams of "atomic structure" that show arrangements of electrons: 1s2, 2p2, 2p6 etc. and I understand how the configurations are derived from the quantum numbers. I am curious if the distribution of electrons can be explained in terms of electrostatic forces. That is, if you made a 3-d computer model of point charges around a larger central charge, would you find stable configurations that correspond to anything like the electron configurations you get from the four quantum numbers? I suppose the spin number doesn't fit, but how about n, l, and m?

I hope this question makes sense. What I am really wondering is if atoms can be "explained away" in terms of more basic forces (i.e. electrostatic and strong nuclear to hold the nucleus together), or is an atom more than the sum of its parts, that is, is it something you can't presently derive from more basic physics.

Thanks.

 

[SporadicSmile]

The electron configuration tells you the quantum numbers, eg in the $$1s^2$$, the 1 refers to the principle quantum number n, the s to the angular momentum number l [which can take values 0 -> n-1] and the 2 is the number of spin configurations you can have for this value of l, in this case it is +1/2 and -1/2.
Thus the electronic stucture of the atom is determined by the varies quantum restrictions on the values of variables it can possess. To explain this, you must remember that the electron is not a particle, but is described by a wavefunction. This is abstract, but you can basically think of this as meaning that the electron has no definitite location in space until it is measured to have one, it has simply a probability of being found at a certain position. The electron orbitals are basically formed from these probality distructions, or wavefunctions. Solving the Schrodinger equation in a spherical electrostatic potential of an atom will give solutions of the form of the orbitals. So to answer another question, yes a computer program could be written to do this, as you must specify to the program what you want it to do, ie solve the schrodinger equation, and what form of answer you require, here something called spherical harmonics, it would be the only solution it could give.

the wikipedia page for electronic structure [id link but i haven't got enough posts for that ] gives you some nice pictures of what the orbitals 'look' like, and a nice explanation along the same lines as this, so you can read if i have been unclear. i

 

[Blueshift5]

I can provide a response to this question. The short answer is yes, electrostatic forces do play a significant role in explaining electron configurations. However, the full explanation of electron configurations also involves other factors such as quantum mechanics and the Pauli exclusion principle.

Electrostatic forces are responsible for the attraction between the positively charged nucleus and the negatively charged electrons. This attraction determines the overall shape and size of the electron orbitals, which are the regions where electrons are most likely to be found. The quantum numbers n, l, and m are directly related to the shape, energy, and orientation of these orbitals, respectively.

However, the spin number (also known as the quantum number s) cannot be explained solely by electrostatic forces. It is a fundamental property of electrons that is described by quantum mechanics. The spin number determines the orientation of an electron's spin, which is important for understanding the stability of electron configurations.

Furthermore, the Pauli exclusion principle states that no two electrons in an atom can have the same set of quantum numbers. This principle, along with the electrostatic forces, helps to explain why electrons occupy different orbitals within an atom rather than all occupying the same orbital.

So while electrostatic forces do play a crucial role in explaining electron configurations, they are not the only factor at play. Other fundamental concepts such as quantum mechanics and the Pauli exclusion principle are also necessary for a complete understanding of electron configurations. Atoms are more than just the sum of their parts, and their behavior cannot be fully explained by just the fundamental forces at play.