Can a hydrogen atom really become a negative ion?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the ability of a hydrogen atom to become a negative ion and the behavior of its electron when excited to higher energy orbits. Participants explore the concept of hydride ions and the conditions under which an electron can transition between energy levels, particularly focusing on the third orbital.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that a hydrogen atom can become a negative ion, referred to as a hydride ion, which is a common chemical reagent.
  • There is uncertainty regarding the transition of an electron to the third orbital, with some suggesting that it can be achieved directly or through intermediate states.
  • One participant notes that the third orbitals include both 2s and 2p, with selection rules potentially prohibiting certain transitions based on angular momentum conservation.
  • Another participant emphasizes that if the energy provided to the electron is insufficient, it cannot transition to the third orbital, aligning with quantum theory principles.
  • There are multiple proposed methods for exciting the electron to the third orbital, including direct excitation and sequential excitations through lower energy levels.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the specifics of electron transitions and the implications of quantum theory, indicating that multiple competing perspectives remain unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Some participants reference selection rules and energy requirements for electron transitions, but the discussion does not fully resolve these technical aspects or clarify the implications of these rules.

Zargawee
Hello,
I Have Some Question ,
Is Hydrogene atom able to become a negative ion ?
Why not ?

Another question.

We have a stable Hydrogene atom , how many possibilities can we get when moving the electron to to the 3rd orbit ?
I Was thinking of unlimited possibilites , because we can can send the electron to any orbit and get see if it get back to the 3rd one ...
My teacher says that there's two solutions ,
the first says 1 ( if the energy is EXACTELY enough for the electon to move there , he will move , otehr wise , nothing happens )
the second says , 3 ( 1 successful try , and 2 faulty ones )

Thanks In adcance .
 
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Yes, it's called a hydride ion, it's a very common chemical reagent.

I'm not sure what you mean about the third orbital. You can get there by exciting it from the 1st orbital to the 3rd directly, but yes, there are other ways.
 
I think your teacher was referring to the fact that the "3rd orbitals" are the 2s and 2p ones (2s is significantly lower-energy than 2p). There is just one 2s orbital (discounting spin), and three 2p orbitals. Various things call "selection rules" prohibit most transitions, so some of these (I don't remember which exactly) will not be allowed (because of things like angular momentum conservation.)
 
damgo , you just explained what I Know ...
at this point , I need to know more about this ... the gap still exsists .

Chemicalsuperfreak,
If the energy we gave to the elctron to excite him was not enough to send him to the third orbit , it won't go ... Quantum theory.
 
Originally posted by Zargawee
damgo , you just explained what I Know ...
at this point , I need to know more about this ... the gap still exsists .

Chemicalsuperfreak,
If the energy we gave to the elctron to excite him was not enough to send him to the third orbit , it won't go ... Quantum theory.

That's right. If you want to excite it to the third, you can give it just enough energy to go from 1st to 3rd, or you can excite it to the second, and then excite again to the third, or you can excite it past the third, to the 4th, 5th, etc. and let it relax back down to the 3rd. The easiest to do is just excite it to the third.
 
LOL. Thats it, I just got a great idea for a question in the 'Ask a stupid quetion' thread
 

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