Electrostatic energy per e- for an alkali metal

In summary, the conversation discusses the considerations before starting to calculate the self-energy of an electron in a positively charged core. It suggests using a pseudopotential to simplify the calculation by ignoring other repulsive forces from electrons.
  • #1
VivaLaFisica
16
1
I'm trying to think about what it is I should be considering before I start throwing up some maths.

I'm thinking to assume that the positively charged core is a point charge +e and the electron is uniformly distributed over a sphere of radius Rs.

The self energy of the electron distribution, which is repulsive, should be included along with the attraction to the positive core, right?

Now how to go about calculating the electron's self energy...?
 
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  • #2
First of all you can assume a pseudopotential (instead of coulomb potential) for combined core and non-valence electrons. That way you don't have to worry about other electrons and repulsive self-energy (as only one electron is present).

You can download various pseudopotentials from the internet.
 

1. What is electrostatic energy per electron for an alkali metal?

Electrostatic energy per electron is the amount of energy required to overcome the attractive forces between the positively charged nucleus and the negatively charged electrons in an alkali metal.

2. How is electrostatic energy per electron calculated for an alkali metal?

The electrostatic energy per electron for an alkali metal can be calculated using the formula E = kQ1Q2/r, where k is the Coulomb's constant, Q1 and Q2 are the charges of the nucleus and electron respectively, and r is the distance between them.

3. What factors affect the electrostatic energy per electron in an alkali metal?

The electrostatic energy per electron in an alkali metal is affected by the atomic number, the distance between the nucleus and electrons, and the number of electrons in the outermost energy level.

4. How does electrostatic energy per electron change as you go down the alkali metal group?

The electrostatic energy per electron decreases as you go down the alkali metal group due to the increase in atomic size and the shielding effect of inner electrons.

5. What is the relationship between electrostatic energy per electron and reactivity in alkali metals?

There is an inverse relationship between electrostatic energy per electron and reactivity in alkali metals. As the electrostatic energy per electron decreases, the reactivity of the metal increases, making it more likely to lose an electron and form a positive ion.

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