That's essentially the same as what I'm saying, right? So a molecular bond is an example of a system tending toward its lowest energy state. Is that right?
Thanks, that helps. Now that I'm a little clearer about the process, I want to return to my original question, which is whether a bonded molecule represents the most efficient energy state (or exchange/distribution/arrangement/etc. -- whichever term is best, and please TELL me which is best) vs...
Aside from my main question, which I still don't think has been answered, I don't understand why the larger orbital space in a molecule decreases an electron's momentum (and hence, energy). I understand the inverse relation of position and momentum due to the uncertainty principle, but how is a...
I read the thread and followed up on a few terms and concepts I didn't know. Wow -- I thought molecular bonding was a fairly basic process; there's more going on than a simple sharing of electrons. I understand most of it, but I still don't have a clear answer to my question. The best...
For those interested, I just found this, which explores the topic:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_death_of_the_universe
There doesn't seem to be clear consensus, so I'm still interested in discussion.
Forgive my ignorance of what is probably basic science, but why/how is energy released? There were two electrons before (one in each atom) and there are two after, shared by the H2 molecule. What's changed?
I have only a basic understanding of science, but don't the Second Law of Thermodynamics and the concept of entropy preclude a cyclical universe (i.e. one that will eventually contract to a singularity)?
[from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introduction_to_entropy ]: "Entropy is a measure of how evenly energy is distributed in a system."
Isn't that another way of saying that the energy (of the two atoms) is most efficiently distributed by the bond that forms the molecule?
Maybe my phrase...
I have some questions about molecular bonding. I understand that intramolecular bonds (forces holding a molecule together) are stronger than intermolecular bonds (forces between molecules). I also understand that the strength of intermolecular bonds determines whether something is gas (no bond)...
Thanks for both posts; that clarified things. Maybe my question doesn't apply -- you say (and I also read in one of the other refs) that the electron retains its charge even if I'm speeding alongside it. So no energy is lost in the equation, which was my original question.
So there is no...
I just read the following innocent sounding statement, which got me thinking:
"An electron in motion relative to an observer generates a magnetic field..."
This implies that, for an observer moving alongside at the same speed as the electron, there is no magnetic field. I understand the...
An analogy might be the Earth (analogous here to an electron) which, by virtue of its "spin" (axial rotation), has its magnetic field oriented in a particular direction. We can envision many Earth's grouped together, like electrons in a lump of iron. So long as the Earth's are randomly aligned...
I'm still not clear about my second question, which is the relation between wave coherence and particle/structural coherence. Must electrons be "physically aligned" (if that's a valid expression) in order to have the same spin state?
I'm no scientist, but since light and radio frequencies are all part of the same electromagnetic spectrum, it seems to me that the coherence phenomena should be the same in both, as you suggest.