Significance of Surface and Coulomb Terms

In summary, the conversation revolved around a test question that asked for an explanation of terms in a semi-empirical mass formula. The terms in question were surface and Coulomb terms, and the conversation evolved into estimating the fraction of binding energy provided by these terms for two specific elements, Ca and Pb. While the calculations were provided, there was confusion about the significance of these results and how they relate to the total binding energy.
  • #1
genloz
76
1
I recently had a test question posed to me that asked firstly for an explanation of the terms in the semi empircal mass forumla (which I gave correctly) but then went on to ask:

For
[tex]^{40}_{20}Ca[/tex]
and
[tex]^{208}_{96}Pb[/tex]
estimate the fraction of the binding energy provided by the surface and coulomb terms, and comment on the significance of these results...

So I estimated:
Pb
Surface: 17.23*(208)^(2/3) = 604.868
Coulomb: (0.714*96^2)/(208^(1/3)) = 1110.58

Ca
Surface: 17.23*(40)^(2/3) = 201.52
Coulomb: (0.714*20^2)/(40^(1/3)) = 83.5

But could not work out at all what the significance was... I have a feeling the same question will be on the exam, so I was wondering if anyone could give me a clue please?
 
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  • #2
Well I've found that for higher atomic numbers the surface and coulomb terms are almost equal to the binding energy, but they're subtracted from the volume term which makes me confused again...
 
  • #3
Also how do I estimate total binding energy without the other terms?
 

1. What is the significance of the surface term in the Coulomb potential?

The surface term in the Coulomb potential takes into account the effect of the finite size of a charged particle or system. It accounts for the decrease in the electrostatic energy as particles are brought closer together due to the screening effect of their surface charges.

2. How does the Coulomb potential affect the stability of atoms and molecules?

The Coulomb potential plays a crucial role in determining the stability of atoms and molecules. It is responsible for the attraction between positively charged nuclei and negatively charged electrons, which keeps the particles bound together. Without this attractive force, atoms and molecules would not be able to exist in their current form.

3. What is the relationship between the Coulomb potential and the electrostatic force?

The Coulomb potential is directly related to the electrostatic force. It is a measure of the potential energy that results from the interaction between two charged particles, and the electrostatic force is the actual force that acts on the particles due to their charges.

4. How does the Coulomb potential differ from other types of potentials?

The Coulomb potential is a specific type of potential known as an inverse-square potential. This means that the potential energy decreases as the distance between two charged particles increases, and it follows a 1/r² relationship. Other types of potentials, such as the gravitational potential, do not follow this relationship.

5. What is the significance of the Coulomb potential in fields such as chemistry and physics?

The Coulomb potential is of great significance in fields such as chemistry and physics because it allows us to understand and predict the behavior of charged particles and systems. It is used to explain various phenomena, such as the structure of atoms and molecules, the behavior of charged particles in electric fields, and the interactions between charged particles in nuclear physics.

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