Electron shell further away from nucleus higher Energy lvl?

In summary, using electrical potential energy =1/4πεo Q1Q2/r, a particle further away from the nucleus has a lower magnitude of energy. This is because, according to Coulomb's law, a particle further away experiences weaker attraction and therefore requires less energy to maintain its orbit around the electron shell compared to a particle closer to the nucleus. However, it should be noted that in reality, electrons do not orbit around the atom but rather exist as a probability density of radial probability function. Removing an electron from a bound state is what requires energy, not maintaining an orbit.
  • #1
Boomzxc
25
0
Using electrical potential energy =1/4πεo Q1Q2/r , a particle further away from nucleus has lower magnitude of energy

Using coulomb's law, a particle further away from nucleus experiences weaker attraction, hence less energy is needed to maintain orbit* around that e-shell compared to a electron shell closerr to nucleus, hence the one closer to nucleus supposedly should have higher energy.

*i know in reality e- does not orbit around a atom, but its position exists as a probability density of radial probability function.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Boomzxc said:
Using coulomb's law, a particle further away from nucleus experiences weaker attraction, hence less energy is needed to maintain orbit* around that e-shell compared to a electron shell closerr to nucleus, hence the one closer to nucleus supposedly should have higher energy.

No energy is needed to "maintain an orbit" regardless of what the energy level is. What requires energy is removing an electron from a bound state.
 
  • Like
Likes Boomzxc
  • #3
Boomzxc said:
Using electrical potential energy =1/4πεo Q1Q2/r , a particle further away from nucleus has lower magnitude of energy

Using coulomb's law, a particle further away from nucleus experiences weaker attraction,
hence less energy is needed to maintain orbit* around that e-shell compared to a electron shell closerr to nucleus, hence the one closer to nucleus supposedly should have higher energy.
*i know in reality e- does not orbit around a atom, but its position exists as a probability density of radial probability function.

[SORRY TYPO] :
It's position exists as a probability density OR* radial probability function
 
  • #4
Is it possible to edit the contents of the thread?
 
  • #5
Orodruin said:
No energy is needed to "maintain an orbit" regardless of what the energy level is. What requires energy is removing an electron from a bound state.
Ahh yes ! Okay, i understand better now.
Yes, no energy is needed for an electron to maintain an orbit as acceleration is perpendicular to direction of motion

Removing e- from a atom or transitioning it to a higher energy level requires energy.

Thank you , orodruin !
 

1. How does the distance of an electron shell from the nucleus affect its energy level?

The closer an electron shell is to the nucleus, the lower its energy level. As the distance increases, the energy level also increases. This is because the nucleus exerts a stronger force on electrons that are closer to it, causing them to have a lower energy state.

2. Can electrons move between different energy levels?

Yes, electrons can move between different energy levels. This process is known as electron excitation or de-excitation. When an electron absorbs energy, it moves to a higher energy level. When it releases energy, it moves to a lower energy level.

3. How does the number of electrons in an atom's outermost shell affect its reactivity?

The number of electrons in an atom's outermost shell, also known as the valence electrons, greatly affects its reactivity. Atoms with a full outer shell (8 valence electrons) are stable and less reactive, while atoms with incomplete outer shells are more reactive because they tend to gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve a full outer shell.

4. Why do elements in the same group have similar chemical properties?

Elements in the same group on the periodic table have similar chemical properties because they have the same number of valence electrons. This means they have similar electron configurations and tend to react in similar ways to achieve a stable outer shell.

5. How does the energy level of an electron shell affect the size of an atom?

The energy level of an electron shell does not directly affect the size of an atom. However, as the number of electrons in an atom increases, more electron shells are added, increasing the size of the atom. Additionally, as the energy level increases, the distance between the nucleus and the outermost electron also increases, making the atom larger.

Similar threads

I About the position of electrons (uncertainty)
    • Quantum Physics
Replies
6
Views
2K
I Can an electron in the 1s orbital be indefinitely far from the nucleus?
    • Quantum Physics
2
Replies
43
Views
3K
Why does an electron shell further away from nucleus has higher energy?
    • Electromagnetism
Replies
13
Views
4K
I "Wave-particle duality" and double-slit experiment
    • Quantum Physics
2
Replies
36
Views
1K
I The electron as a smeared charge density
    • Quantum Physics
Replies
13
Views
2K
Why electrons never make contact with the nucleus?
    • Quantum Physics
Replies
11
Views
2K
Electron far away from the nucleus of ground state H atom
    • Quantum Physics
Replies
8
Views
4K
A Why KE of Annihilation Electrons Differs?
    • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
11
Views
1K
B How does the electric field of an electron compare to its probability wave?
    • Quantum Physics
Replies
5
Views
1K
Electrons and their little role in nuclear physics
    • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
753

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top